The Dying Citizen

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

By: Victor Davis Hanson

Narrated by: James Edward Thomas

The New York Times bestselling author of The Case for Trump explains the decline and fall of the once cherished idea of American citizenship.

Human history is full of the stories of peasants, subjects, and tribes. Yet the concept of the “citizen” is historically rare—and was among America’s most valued ideals for over two centuries. But without shock treatment, warns historian Victor Davis Hanson, American citizenship as we have known it may soon vanish.

In The Dying Citizen, Hanson outlines the historical forces that led to this crisis. The evisceration of the middle class over the last fifty years has made many Americans dependent on the federal government. Open borders have undermined the idea of allegiance to a particular place. Identity politics have eradicated our collective civic sense of self. And a top-heavy administrative state has endangered personal liberty, along with formal efforts to weaken the Constitution.

As in the revolutionary years of 1848, 1917, and 1968, 2020 ripped away our complacency about the future. But in the aftermath, we as Americans can rebuild and recover what we have lost. The choice is ours.

Critic reviews

“Mr. Hanson, an accomplished classicist and a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution, is one of the great amalgamators of American political writing. He has a particular gift for bringing together a dizzying array of events, controversies and ideas and making sense of them by advancing a coherent argument that incorporates thousands of years of history… Mr. Hanson hits hard, but I don’t find his analysis unfair or partisan. There is enormous value, moreover, in thinking about toxic political developments not as problems of the moment but as destructive pathologies to which all societies are prone at all times.”—Wall Street Journal

“Indispensable… Hanson’s immensely erudite and inspiriting book offers a most welcome corrective to those influential forces and doctrines in our midst that conspire to delegitimize the citizen and citizenship as such. In doing so, he provides us with hope that our society still has within it significant powers of rejuvenation.”—National Review

“As Victor Davis Hanson shows in his learned, powerful, and troubling new book, The Dying Citizen, the steady devolution of citizenship speaks volumes about where we are today and where we seem to be heading… Hanson lays out this grim diagnosis with his usual clarity and brilliance, moving easily from his deep specialized knowledge of the ancient Greek and Roman world through savvy observations about present-day politics and American society.”—The New Criterion

“A powerful and carefully developed argument for preserving American citizenship.”—American Thinker

“Required reading for all those who seriously want to engage in the fieriest issues of our days at their most thoughtful levels of depth.”—Epoch Times

“Hanson is well-positioned to describe the evolution of citizenship from ancient times through the modern era, and especially the assumptions about citizenship underlying America's constitutional order… Hanson presents, clearly and concisely, a case that critics will struggle to refute. His troubling argument has far-reaching implications. The Dying Citizen is a book that all Americans should read, then discuss with friends and neighbors.”—Claremont Review of Books

“Among public intellectuals writing within a secular framework about America’s troubles, Victor Davis Hanson towers above the rest.”—First Things

“The Dying Citizen is essential reading for any American who cares about the fate of our nation.”—Mark R. Levin

The Dying Free Society

This book gives great true history of the foundation of the where and how America derived it's template for our government and free nation. then it transitions into how these old Marxist tricks are being used with a different subject, yet same death principles to ruin and destroy the greatest nation in the history of mankind! unfortunately the ease of life in this free society, which the constitution built and maintains. has produced a population of ignorant and lazy people who think this is how everyone on the planet gets treated! this book can and will wake you up! to the reality of the lies and destruction communism has produced for 75 plus years. if you don't understand how this great nation is crumbling, then please read this book.

Most intellectual of all conservatives

When he speaks, or when he writes the pouring out information seems to be the same. It is sad that he said on the University campus he has to tread lightly.

Another fine piece of work by VDH

VDH is a terrific writer and brings a classicist's insight to his work. I recommend it highly.

Very informative!

The information in this book should be required reading for any conservative person running for office!

Next Generation Founding Father

The book eloquent, concise, factual writing about America in its current state. The book also diagnoses root cause disease and offers remedy as well as idea to minimize symptoms. VDH, Thomas Sowell, Glen Reynolds, and Daniel J Mitchell would be excellent start for authors of new constitutional amendments with VDH chairing committee.