Fresh Air: America's Path To 'Competitive Authoritarianism'

Host: Dave Davies
Guest: Steven Levitsky, Professor of Government at Harvard
Release Date: April 22, 2025

Introduction

In this compelling episode of Fresh Air, hosted by Dave Davies, Steven Levitsky, a renowned Harvard Professor of Government and co-author of How Democracies Die and Tyranny of the Minority, delves into the precarious state of American democracy. Drawing from his latest article in Foreign Affairs, co-authored with Daniel Ziblatt and Lukin Wei, Levitsky examines the alarming trends that signal a slide towards what he terms "competitive authoritarianism," a hybrid regime that maintains the façade of democracy while undermining its core principles.

The Decline in U.S. Democratic Scores

Key Discussion: Freedom House's Assessment of U.S. Democracy

Levitsky begins by addressing the recent decline in the United States’ ranking on Freedom House's global freedom index. Historically scoring in the low 90s, comparable to established Western democracies, the U.S. has plummeted to a score of 83 following the Trump administration's actions. This drop places the country below Argentina and on par with Romania and Panama.

Steven Levitsky [02:13]: "The US slipped in the last decade from Trump's first victory to Trump's second victory from the low 90s to 83, which placed us below Argentina and in a tie with Romania and Panama."

Reasons for the Decline: The decline is attributed to increased political violence, threats against politicians, refusal to accept election results, and attempts to block peaceful transfers of power.

Steven Levitsky [03:07]: "The rise in political violence, political threats, threats against politicians, refusal to accept the results of a democratic election in 2020, an effort to use violence to block a peaceful transfer of power, are all listed among the reasons for why the United States has fallen."

Understanding Competitive Authoritarianism

Defining Competitive Authoritarianism:

Levitsky explains that competitive authoritarianism is characterized by the continuation of democratic institutions like constitutions and elections. However, incumbent leaders abuse their power systematically to tilt the playing field against the opposition, maintaining the illusion of democracy.

Steven Levitsky [04:55]: "From a distance, if you squint, it looks like a democracy. But the problem is that systematic incumbent abuse of power tilts the playing field against the opposition."

Comparative Insights: He draws parallels with regimes in Venezuela under Hugo Chavez, Turkey under Erdogan, El Salvador, and Hungary, where elected leaders have eroded democratic norms.

Steven Levitsky [04:51]: "It's what we see in Turkey under Erdogan, it's what we see in El Salvador, it's what we see in Hungary today."

Weaponization of State Agencies

Government Agencies as Tools for Authoritarianism:

A significant threat discussed is the weaponization of government agencies. Levitsky highlights how the Trump administration used the Department of Justice (DOJ) and other agencies to target critics and opposition figures.

Steven Levitsky [06:57]: "Trump just issued an executive order instructing the DOJ to investigate former Trump administration officials Miles Taylor and Christopher Krebs."

Impact on Individuals: While convictions might be unlikely due to the independence of the judiciary, the mere act of investigations can financially and emotionally drain opponents.

Steven Levitsky [08:29]: "You can force targeted individuals to spend a lot of money lawyering up... you can do a lot to harass and to punish your critics."

Corporate Complicity and Influence

Aligning Corporations with Political Power:

Levitsky discusses how the administration has leveraged regulatory agencies to coerce corporations into compliance, ensuring that business leaders align with governmental policies to protect their interests.

Steven Levitsky [09:55]: "Businesses and CEOs are going to cooperate with their government. That's exactly what we saw with Jeff Bezos... Mark Zuckerberg... showed up very publicly at Trump's inauguration, praised Trump because they know that politics is now suddenly behind key regulatory and business decisions."

The Harvard Confrontation

Attack on Academic Freedom:

A focal point of the discussion is the Trump administration's attempt to control Harvard University by demanding an audit of viewpoint diversity, which Levitsky views as an assault on academic freedom and indicative of authoritarian tactics.

Steven Levitsky [16:38]: "The government is demanding the right to dictate to a private university who it can hire and not hire and effectively what it can teach and cannot teach. That is the end of academic freedom."

Levitsky’s Involvement: Levitsky was actively involved in opposing these demands, collaborating with other faculty members to sign a letter urging Harvard to resist federal interference.

Steven Levitsky [16:47]: "We organized a letter signed by 800 faculty members, calling on the administration to refuse to acquiesce to the kinds of demands that you just read."

The Republican Party's Role

Complicity in Democratic Backsliding:

Levitsky criticizes the current Republican Party for its near-uniform support of Donald Trump, stating that even a small faction within the party could have resisted the authoritarian shifts but chose not to.

Steven Levitsky [22:08]: "The Republican Party... is almost uniform in backing an openly authoritarian figure or at least acquiescing to an openly authoritarian figure."

Consequences of Party Alignment: This alignment has allowed the Trump administration to implement policies that undermine democratic institutions without significant internal opposition.

Steven Levitsky [22:08]: "It's astounding to me how far mainstream Republicans are willing to go to avoid a conflict with Trump and how far they're willing to sacrifice democracy in order to preserve their jobs or their social standing."

Potential Path to Dictatorship

Thresholds for Full Authoritarianism:

While Levitsky argues that the U.S. is currently in a state of competitive authoritarianism, he warns of the potential slide into outright dictatorship if the administration continues to defy judicial rulings and openly violate laws.

Steven Levitsky [25:11]: "If Justice Roberts were to draw a red line and Trump were to cross it. Yeah. Then I think we're in, at least temporarily, a situation of dictatorship."

Diminishing International Commitment

Withdrawal from Global Human Rights Efforts:

The Trump administration's reduction in reporting on global human rights abuses marks a retreat from America's post-World War II commitment to international development and democracy promotion.

Steven Levitsky [27:30]: "This administration not only doesn't really care about reporting on or perhaps addressing human rights in country X or country Y, but actively dislikes it and is withdrawing from it."

Conclusion: The Future of American Democracy

Optimism vs. Pessimism:

Levitsky expresses a pessimistic view regarding the immediate future of American democracy, asserting that the U.S. has already crossed into competitive authoritarianism due to the tangible costs imposed on those who oppose the government.

Steven Levitsky [37:35]: "Today there is a cost to publicly opposing the government... that means that we are already in an authoritarian. It is. It's mild compared to others. It is eminently reversible. But we're not living in a fully democratic regime today."

Call to Action: He emphasizes the need for a more robust and active civil society to counteract these authoritarian trends and restore democratic norms.

Steven Levitsky [37:35]: "Our civil society has not stepped up for the most part... but we continue to have a number of institutional channels to contest Trump, and we continue to have the muscle, the organizational, financial muscle in society to sustain opposition."

Post-Interview Developments

Shortly after the interview, Harvard University sued the Trump administration over the funding cuts, challenging the government's attempts to control academic content. Levitsky lauded Harvard's stance as a beacon of resistance against authoritarian impulses.

Steven Levitsky [40:26]: "I'm very pleased to see Harvard leading by example. The most powerful among us must lead the way."

Final Thoughts

Steven Levitsky's insights provide a sobering examination of the current trajectory of American democracy. By outlining the nuanced pathways through which democratic institutions can erode, he underscores the urgency for vigilance and proactive defense of democratic norms to prevent further backsliding.

Notable Quotes:

• Levitsky on Competitive Authoritarianism:

  "These are regimes that constitutionally continue to be democracies... But systematic incumbent abuse of power tilts the playing field against the opposition." ([04:55])

• Levitsky on Harvard’s Resistance:

  "The government is demanding the right to dictate to a private university who it can hire and not hire and effectively what it can teach and cannot teach." ([16:38])

• Levitsky on Republican Complicity:

  "It's astounding to me how far mainstream Republicans are willing to go to avoid a conflict with Trump and how far they're willing to sacrifice democracy..." ([22:08])

• Levitsky on the Future of Democracy:

  "We are already in an authoritarian. It is. It's mild compared to others. It is eminently reversible. But we're not living in a fully democratic regime today." ([37:35])

Resources

• Article Referenced: Levitsky, S., Ziblatt, D., & Wei, L. A. (2025). The Path to American Authoritarianism. Foreign Affairs.
• Books by Levitsky: How Democracies Die, Tyranny of the Minority.

For more insights and in-depth discussions on contemporary political issues, subscribe to Fresh Air Plus! and sign up for the Fresh Air Weekly newsletter.