Restoring Democracy in a Multiracial Society: Comments on Steven Levitsky’s “The Third Founding: The Rise of Multiracial Democracy and the Authoritarian Reaction Against It”

Abstract

In this brief Essay, I present six comments to Steven Levitsky’s lecture. I suggest that the author (1) clarify some of the basic concepts he uses in his text, particularly the concept of democracy; (2) not confuse the problems of democracy with the problems of constitutionalism; (3) take more centrally into account the problem imposed on our democracies by the existence of profound political and social inequalities; (4) extend and specify some of the institutional reforms he suggests in his text, particularly related to the Senate; (5) pay attention to the structural nature of the problems that are presently affecting the American political system; and (6) review his proposal to reinvigorate majority rule, in light of his defense of a multiracial democracy.