The Survival of American Democracy: Presidential Abuse of Power and Reforms

David Contosta provides a timely, historical analysis of threats to American democracy and how to protect the United States from future abuses of presidential power.

Tracing how presidency has changed since the founding of the United States of America, Contosta examines the roots of threats to democracy including concerns about presidents leveraging their cult of personality, partisanship preventing Congress from effectively checking presidential power, and presidents initiating foreign war or war adjacent actions without a Congressional declaration of hostilities. This book also dissects the creation of the Electoral College as well as the continuing dangers to the American political system. In this way, Contosta tells the story of the American presidential experience, addressing Benjamin Franklin’s haunting comment at the end of the Constitution Convention - ＂A republic if you can keep it.＂ In light of the 2025 political climate, the final chapters of the book analyze the three elections in which Donald Trump ran for president, focusing on the reasons why Trump won in both 2016 and 2024 and what his victories say about American politics, American life, and the possible future of American democracy. Through his thorough examination of the evolution of presidency, Contosta highlights the importance of protecting democracy from future abuses of presidential power.

David Contosta is Professor of History and Chair of the History Department at Chestnut Hill College, USA.