This episode talks about "How Democracies Die," from Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt. They argue that modern democracies typically perish subtly, subverted by elected leaders, not military coups. The book emphasizes that unwritten democratic norms—mutual toleration and institutional forbearance—act as essential "guardrails". Extreme partisan polarization, particularly in the United States due to factors like race and culture, has dangerously eroded these norms. This weakening, evident in the 2016 election, leaves American democracy vulnerable and facing an urgent need for re-establishment of these critical norms.