U.S. Majorities vs. U.S. Institutions

America’s contemporary democratic predicament is rooted in its historically incomplete democratization. Born in a pre-democratic era, the constitution’s balancing of majority rule and minority rights created still-unresolved dilemmas. Placing the U.S. in comparative perspective, Daniel Ziblatt, professor of government at Harvard University, discusses the relationship between U.S. political institutions and their political majorities.
Ziblatt is also director of the Transformations of Democracy group at Berlin’s WZB Social Science Center. He is the author of four books, including "How Democracies Die," co-authored with Steve Levitsky, a New York Times best-seller. His newest book co-authored with Steven Levitsky is entitled "Tyranny of the Minority." [Show ID: 39851]
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0:00 Start
0:12 Elections
0:37 Ability to Govern
1:13 Counter-Majoritarian Institutions
2:04 Emergence of these Institutions
5:45 Madison and Hamilton
7:17 The Filibuster and Supermajority Rules
8:03 The Transition Game
8:32 Permanent Concessions, Overrepresentation
9:12 Why Is This A Problem Now?
11:42 Systematic Advantage
13:09 Three Specific Consequences
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[@danwylie-sears1134]

Supermajority requirements should not all be lumped together. There's a big difference between a 55% requirement for doing things one way, when a parallel system is in place to let them be done another, and a requirement for unanimity before a legislature can conduct any ordinary business.

[@felixvelo]

Slanted argument.