America is undergoing a massive experiment: It is moving, in fits and starts, toward a multiracial democracy. But the prospect of change has sparked an authoritarian backlash that threatens the very foundations of our political system. In this “exceptionally perceptive and wide ranging” (Times Literary Supplement) book, Harvard professors Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt help us make sense of these volatile times. They draw on a wealth of examples—from 1930s France to present-day Thailand—to explain why and how political parties turn against democracy. They then show how our Constitution makes us uniquely vulnerable to attacks from within: It is a pernicious enabler of minority rule, allowing partisan minorities to consistently thwart and even rule over popular majorities. Levitsky and Ziblatt issue an urgent call to reform our politics. It’s a daunting task, but we are now at a crossroads: America will either become a multiracial democracy or cease to be a democracy at all.