A general comment: the author uses concise, logical and coherent language, and described how democracy can be toppled by an political outsider. It's a great book for a junior debater. 

In this essay, I would firstly sum up the content, and then talk about what impresses me most. 

HOW DEMOCRACY DIES

PART 1 

The book answers the question of: How D dies? 

There's a national crisis that shakes public's trust in the established parties. The autocrat-in-the-making, usually a populist outsider, takes advantage of opportunity to seize power. 

He has two approaches: 1) launch a coup; 2) lobby the public, deliver promises(Hugo Chavez); 3) aided by the established politicians, and billionaire financier. To the public, he curries the favour.

After he's elected: 

1) to the opponents: he curtail opposition politicians' liberties, attack them with verbal assaults or vengeful actions; he cancel the media figures by accusing him of tax evasion or business leaders (eg. fraud or embezzlement)

2) to the law enforcement bodies or regulatory agencies he would replace its non-partisan members with loyalists; bribe them; hijack/blackmail them; impeach them; raze the court together

3) to the constitution: change the law, electoral system

At the same time, they justify their behaviours with in the name of public good; gloss over their crimes with crisis

TIP: portray or categorise the people 

BTW, It doesn't point out why a political outsider is more likely to become autocrats, in contrast with 

PART 2

(待更新)

Core: a balance between a democratic role and filtration role

Money and politics 

Mutual toleration & Institutional forbearance

KEY TERMS

委内瑞拉 Venezuela, Hugo Chavez 

边缘政策 Brinkmanship

"A tit-for-tat between a norm-breaking demagogue and a threatened or discredited political establishment"