In "How Democracies Die," Steven Levitsky emphasizes that a key challenge for democracies is not the presence of extremist figures, but the responsibility of political leaders and parties to prevent these individuals from gaining influence. This involves actively excluding them from mainstream political arenas, not endorsing them, and sometimes collaborating with opposing factions to support candidates who uphold democratic values.

Levitsky argues that it takes political courage to isolate extremists, but succumbing to fear or opportunism to incorporate them into the mainstream can jeopardize democratic integrity. The failure of established parties to act decisively against extremist influences can pose significant risks to the democracy itself.