While the usual types opine about rising populism as the great threat to democracy, the article referenced in the title by Dani Rodrik reminds us of the other enemy of our way of life, which he terms “undemocratic liberalism”:
But fewer analysts have noted that illiberal democracy – or populism – is not the only political threat. Liberal democracy is also being undermined by a tendency to emphasize “liberal” at the expense of “democracy.” In this kind of politics, rulers are insulated from democratic accountability by a panoply of restraints that limit the range of policies they can deliver. Bureaucratic bodies, autonomous regulators, and independent courts set policies, or they are imposed from outside by the rules of the global economy.
The article delves further into a paper by the author and a new book by political theorist Yascha Mounk, “The People vs. Democracy”, that addresses both issues.