Did the Constitution doom American democracy?
Vox
February 25, 2026
AI-Generated Deep Dive Summary
The future of American democracy is under intense scrutiny as structural flaws in its constitutional design come under increasing pressure from rising partisanship, executive overreach, and ideological polarization. In 2015, Vox co-founder Matt Yglesias issued a prescient warning that "American democracy is doomed," drawing on the work of political scientist Juan Linz, who argued that presidential systems like the U.S. are prone to collapse due to irreparable conflicts between the executive and legislative branches. While Yglesias' essay was initially seen as radical, recent events have shown its eerie accuracy, particularly the failure of Congress to hold a partisan president accountable, raising questions about whether the system can withstand further strain.
Yglesias focused on structural issues rather than specific personalities or policies. He pointed out that the U.S. had long been seen as an exception to Linz's framework, which observed that most presidential systems worldwide tend to break down due to their inherent instability. However, as American political parties became more ideological and less disciplined between 1994 and 2014, the system began to resemble others in Latin America, where presidents often clash with Congress in ways that undermine democratic norms. Yglesias predicted that a future president would exploit these weaknesses, pushing executive power to its limits and potentially triggering a constitutional crisis.
The current political landscape has exposed vulnerabilities in the system. While Trump's presidency has been unconventional, it highlights how an authoritarian-leaning leader can manipulate institutions like the judiciary and bypass Congress with little pushback from his party. This raises concerns about whether the U.S. can avoid following the path of other democracies that have eroded under similar pressures, such as Hungary or Brazil.
The article underscores the importance of understanding these structural challenges for anyone
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Originally published on Vox on 2/25/2026