Suzanne Mettler on 'Four Threats: The Recurring Crises of American Democracy'
American democracy has endured recurrent crises since the 1790s. Cornell University professor Suzanne Mettler spoke about this history — and American democracy’s current condition — at a University of Minnesota event.
She’s the co-author of “Four Threats: The Recurring Crises of American Democracy.”
The book stems from the work of the American Democracy Collaborative, and Mettler says there are four threats to the pillars of democracy. They are…
Political polarization
“Conflicts over the boundaries of the political community” — such as race, gender and ethnicity
Rising economic inequality
“Executive aggrandizement” — presidential power
Mettler says these threats have “waxed and waned over time,” but these threats “combine in dangerous ways, and today, all four threats are raging at high levels.”
University of Minnesota Humphrey School professor Larry Jacobs moderated the question and answer session following her talk. The event was held, virtually, on Nov. 19, 2020.
Click the audio player above to listen to the event.
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