The People vs. Democracy: Why Our Freedom Is in Danger and How to Save It book club questions

1. 1.

   Mounk argues that liberalism and democracy can come apart. Do you think the two have ever been genuinely unified, or has the tension always been there?

2. 2.

   Which of his three causes — economic stagnation, social media, or identity crisis — seems most decisive in your own country's political situation?

3. 3.

   He draws a sharp line between legitimate criticism of institutions and populist delegitimization. Where would you draw that line?

4. 4.

   Is civic nationalism, as Mounk describes it, actually achievable in a country as diverse as the United States or Germany? What would success look like?

5. 5.

   He's critical of both progressive overreach and conservative nostalgia. Which side's failure do you find more dangerous right now, and why?

6. 6.

   Mounk argues younger generations are less committed to democratic norms. Does that match what you observe in the people around you?

7. 7.

   How should institutions respond when a legitimately elected government attacks the rules that constrained previous governments?

8. 8.

   Is there a difference between an anti-establishment party and a genuinely authoritarian one? How do you tell them apart before it's too late?

9. 9.

   Mounk suggests the status quo was already failing before populism rose. Does accepting that diagnosis change how you think about defending liberal democracy?

10. 10.

    What would a politics that genuinely won back economically anxious, anti-establishment voters while preserving minority rights look like?

11. 11.

    He warns against expert technocracy as well as populist majoritarianism. What democratic accountability for technocratic decisions might actually work?

12. 12.

    If you had to identify one institution in your country that is most urgently in need of democratic reform, what would it be and why?

How to run the discussion

• Pick six to eight, not all of them. An hour of real discussion covers fewer questions than anyone expects, and racing the list is what makes a book club feel like homework.
• Open with what people noticed, not what they concluded. Asking for a verdict first hardens opinions before anyone has heard each other.
• Let the disagreement run. The questions below that split a room are the ones worth the time; the ones everyone answers the same way can be skipped.
• Ask the quiet person a specific question. A direct, narrow question is far easier to answer than an open invitation to contribute.