In “The Case for a Third Reconstruction,” K. Sabeel Rahman argues that the United States faces a democratic crisis that cannot be solved by returning to “normal.” The institutions that shape American political life—Congress, the courts, the administrative state, and much of the economic order—were already strained and structurally unequal long before the rise of modern authoritarianism. The past several years merely exposed how fragile our system truly is. If we want a democracy that can survive future assaults, incremental reform will not be enough.

Rahman calls this moment an opportunity for a Third Reconstruction. Drawing on the transformative eras that followed the Civil War and later fueled the Civil Rights movement, he argues that real democratic renewal happens only when the country rebalances power and rewrites the rules of political and economic life. A Reconstruction, in this sense, is not just a set of policy fixes. It is a reimagining of who has voice, who has protection, and who has power.

The first step is being honest about the landscape. Many of our core institutions—from the Senate to the Supreme Court—are structured in ways that favor minority rule and entrench elite interests. The administrative state, weakened by decades of deregulation, lacks the capacity to safeguard the public from predatory power. These weaknesses will continue to be exploited unless they are confronted directly.

Rahman argues for a vision of democracy that expands participation and places public authority firmly on the side of equity. That means building new institutions: stronger labor protections, democratic oversight over markets, and social infrastructure that gives communities control over decisions that shape their lives. It also means insulating democratic reforms from the backlash cycles that have historically undone racial and economic progress in America.

The lesson from past reconstructions is clear: democracy does not repair itself. It must be rebuilt—with intention, with moral clarity, and with institutions designed to protect the many rather than empower the few. Rahman’s message is a simple one: if America wants a future defined by multiracial democracy rather than creeping authoritarianism, the country must embrace—not fear—the transformative work of Reconstruction once again.