Nepal, Feb. 26 -- Democracy rarely succumbs to external shocks. Yet it remains vulnerable to gradual erosion from within. Disregard for the legal and normative foundations of democracy is often the primary cause.

In How Democracies Die, Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt argue that the survival of democratic systems depends on mutual toleration, institutional restraint, and an unflinching commitment to the rule of law. The vilification of political opponents, the trampling of civil liberties, and the normalisation of violent rhetoric for political ends are early warning signs of democratic decline. When elected leaders-the so-called gatekeepers of democracy-treat citizens as utilitarian instruments for electoral gain and hollow out insti...