“The Square and the Tower” by Niall Ferguson looks at how social networks (the town square) foster change and disrupt traditional hierarchies (the tower).  Networks, being less formal, are more open to innovation and change. From Roman catacombs to our founder’s committees of correspondence to Facebook, Ferguson shows how networks have changed history.   In How Democracies Die, Steven Levitsky looks at what happens when hierarchies ossify and the public square is closed.  By looking at examples of failed democracies in Latin America and Eurpoe, Levitsky notes the points of no return and warns that you don’t know what you’ve got til it’s gone.