Suicide of the West: How the Rebirth of Tribalism, Populism, Nationalism, and Identity Politics Is Destroying American Democracy
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With his trademark blend of political history, social science, economics, and pop culture, two-time New York Times bestselling author, syndicated columnist, National Review senior editor, and American Enterprise Institute Fellow Jonah Goldberg makes the timely case that America and other democracies are in peril as they lose the will to defend the values and institutions that sustain freedom and prosperity. Instead we are surrendering to populism, nationalism, and other forms of tribalism.
Only once in the past 250,000 years have humans stumbled upon a way to lift ourselves out of the endless cycle of poverty, hunger, and war that defines most of history — in 18th-century England when we accidentally discovered the miracle of liberal democratic capitalism.
As Americans we are doubly blessed that those radical ideas were written into the Constitution, laying the groundwork for our uniquely prosperous society:
- Our rights come from God not from the government.
- The government belongs to us; we do not belong to the government.
- The individual is sovereign. We are all captains of our own souls.
- The fruits of our labors belong to us.
In the past few decades, these political virtues have been turned into vices. As we are increasingly taught to view our traditions as a system of oppression, exploitation, and “white privilege,” the principles of liberty and the rule of law are under attack from left and right.
At a moment when authoritarianism, tribalism, identity politics, nationalism, and cults of personality are rotting our democracy from within, Goldberg exposes the West’s suicidal tendencies on both sides of the ideological aisle. For the West to survive, we must renew our sense of gratitude for what our civilization has given us and rediscover the ideals that led us out of the bloody muck of the past — or back to the muck we will go.
Suicide is painless; liberty takes work.
Praise for “Suicide of the West”
“Populist and identity politics are not just unpleasant; they are an existential threat to the American way of life. With characteristic wit and erudition, Jonah Goldberg argues that if you value democracy and a free society, you must stand against ideological tribalism, no matter what your politics. ‘Suicide of the West’ raises an alarm everyone needs to hear and makes clear the path we need to take.”
— Arthur C. Brooks, president, American Enterprise Institute
“Understanding where America stands calls for someone with an intellectual lens that can integrate Schumpeter and ‘Fight Club,’ Karl Marx and Walter White. In ‘Suicide of the West,’ Jonah Goldberg begins with a compelling thesis, expounds it with massive evidence, and led me to a new and deeper understanding of our predicament. And yet I found myself reading the book for fun. How is it possible with a book this serious? Jonah Goldberg is that good.”
— Charles Murray, author, “Coming Apart”
“Jonah Goldberg’s ‘Suicide of the West’ is a tour de force. As ever, Goldberg wears his extraordinary erudition lightly as he demonstrates how the ideas that have animated free societies for the past 250 years are the greatest creations of humankind — and how we are imperiling our posterity by the way we mishandle, ignore, and belittle them. This is a very important book.”
— John Podhoretz, editor, Commentary magazine
“No book better explains this perilous American moment than Jonah Goldberg’s ‘Suicide of the West.’ Deeply researched, beautifully written and brilliantly argued, Goldberg uses trademark logic and humor to explain how the ‘miracle’ of liberal democracy and capitalism created the conditions for Western thriving and how complacence about the system could hasten its collapse. Equal parts history and polemic, ‘Suicide of the West’ is a bracing and necessary reminder that the success of the West is neither accidental nor inevitable. It will be one of the most important books of the year.”
— Steve Hayes, editor-in-chief, The Weekly Standard; contributor, Fox News
