Democracy in Chains: The Deep History of the Radical Right's Stealth Plan for America

by Nancy MacLean

“The facts of history” showed that once the floodgates opened to a more inclusive democracy, it always led to “a notable expansion in the range and extent of collective activity” in pursuit of what the authors deemed “differential or discriminatory legislation.” By this they meant graduated income taxes that asked more of the wealthy and corporations; protective tariffs for, or investments in, manufacturing; and laws that allowed workers to organize unions. Once those groups were given the ability through the vote to elect officials who would be responsive to their needs, no effort to put in new officeholders, the authors concluded, would make a significant difference. Because the problem was systemic, the only thing that could produce different results was putting “checkreins” on the actors: reviving constitutional constraints. And only the effective curtailment of majority rule would make it possible for such checkreins to be put in place.15