The Dying Citizen audiobook cover - How Progressive Elites, Tribalism, and Globalization Are Destroying the Idea of America

The Dying Citizen

How Progressive Elites, Tribalism, and Globalization Are Destroying the Idea of America

Victor Davis Hanson

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The Dying Citizen
Decline of the Middle Class+
Erosion of Collective Identity+
Grip of the Deep State+
Resurgence of Tribalism+
Attacks on the Constitution+
Harms of Globalization+

Quiz — Test Your Understanding

Question 1 of 6
According to the ancient Greek philosophers mentioned in the text, why is the middle class uniquely suited to uphold democratic values?
  • A. They have the most financial wealth to invest in political campaigns and social programs.
  • B. They combine hard work, independent thought, and an interest in long-term political stability.
  • C. They are the largest demographic group and can easily overpower the political extremes.
  • D. They are entirely unaffected by the economic fluctuations that manipulate the poor.
Question 2 of 6
Why did the founders of the United States encourage early immigrants to adopt a shared language and a homogenous culture?
  • A. To ensure a steady supply of compliant labor for the growing industrial revolution.
  • B. To maintain a strict social hierarchy between native-born citizens and new arrivals.
  • C. To prevent the kind of religious, ethnic, and civil conflicts that had plagued European nations.
  • D. To align American cultural and political traditions more closely with the British Empire.
Question 3 of 6
How does the text characterize the 'deep state' in the United States?
  • A. As a highly secretive, clandestine conspiracy hidden entirely from the public eye.
  • B. As an intricate, unconcealed web of unelected bureaucrats, intelligence agencies, and elite institutions.
  • C. As a temporary, emergency alliance of elected officials seeking to bypass the Constitution.
  • D. As a foreign intelligence operation designed to slowly undermine American elections.
Question 4 of 6
According to the text, what is a primary danger of a society reverting to tribalism?
  • A. It causes jobs and rewards to be distributed based on ethnic or religious connections rather than merit.
  • B. It leads to an over-reliance on international trade and weakens the domestic economy.
  • C. It forces the government to continuously rewrite the US Constitution to accommodate new tribes.
  • D. It eliminates the middle class by imposing heavy taxes on self-sufficient landowners.
Question 5 of 6
What does the author argue is the underlying motivation for progressives' attacks on the US Constitution?
  • A. A desire to return the United States to a strict, ancient Greek model of direct democracy.
  • B. A need to update the document's language to better reflect modern legal terminology.
  • C. An attempt to give individual states more power over the federal government's regulatory bodies.
  • D. A desire to shift the United States from a system of equal opportunity to one of equal outcomes.
Question 6 of 6
How does globalization negatively impact the United States, according to the text?
  • A. It dilutes national resources and makes American business leaders less likely to criticize foreign authoritarianism.
  • B. It forces American citizens to adopt the cultural traditions and languages of European nations.
  • C. It completely eliminates the need for a federal government, leaving states to fend for themselves.
  • D. It causes an immediate and unsustainable increase in the cost of domestic agricultural products.

The Dying Citizen — Full Chapter Overview

The Dying Citizen Summary & Overview

The Dying Citizen (2021) explores the ways in which modern American democracy is being weakened. Touching on issues like globalization and identity politics, it discusses how left-wing progressives are damaging the foundations of the United States. 

Who Should Listen to The Dying Citizen?

  • Conservatives looking for fresh insights
  • Fans of Donald Trump 
  • Anyone interested in politics and current affairs

About the Author: Victor Davis Hanson

Victor Davis Hanson is the Martin and Illie Anderson Senior Fellow at Stanford University. He is also a professor emeritus of classics at California State University, Fresno. Hanson has authored over 20 books, including The Case for Trump. 

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