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The Chronic Crisis of American Democracy: The Way Is Shut Second Edition 2025 Edition
Author(s): Benjamin M. Studebaker (Author)
- Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan
- Publication Date: September 27, 2025
- Edition: Second Edition 2025
- Language: English
- Print length: 214 pages
- ISBN-10: 3031950089
- ISBN-13: 9783031950087
Book Description
This book argues that American democracy is in crisis. The economic system is slowly subjecting Americans of nearly all income levels and backgrounds to enormous amounts of stress. The United States lacks the state capacity required to alleviate this stress, and politicians increasingly find that if they promise to solve economic problems, they are likely to disappoint voters. Instead, they encourage voters to blame each other. The crisis cannot be solved, the economy cannot be set right, and democracy cannot be saved. But American democracy cannot be killed, either. Americans can’t imagine any compelling alternative political systems. And so, American democracy continues on, in a deeply unsatisfying way. Americans invent ever-more elaborate coping mechanisms in a desperate bid to go on. But it becomes increasingly clear that the way is shut. The American political system was made by those who are dead, and the dead keep it.
This new edition includes audiobook files at the chapter level.
Editorial Reviews
From the Back Cover
This book argues that American democracy is in crisis. The economic system is slowly subjecting Americans of nearly all income levels and backgrounds to enormous amounts of stress. The United States lacks the state capacity required to alleviate this stress, and politicians increasingly find that if they promise to solve economic problems, they are likely to disappoint voters. Instead, they encourage voters to blame each other. The crisis cannot be solved, the economy cannot be set right, and democracy cannot be saved. But American democracy cannot be killed, either. Americans can’t imagine any compelling alternative political systems. And so, American democracy continues on, in a deeply unsatisfying way. Americans invent ever-more elaborate coping mechanisms in a desperate bid to go on. But it becomes increasingly clear that the way is shut. The American political system was made by those who are dead, and the dead keep it.
This new edition includes audiobook files at the chapter level.
Benjamin Studebaker received his PhD in Politics and International Studies from the University of Cambridge, UK.
About the Author
Benjamin Studebaker received his PhD in Politics and International Studies from the University of Cambridge, UK.
