Democracy Paradox
Is it possible for a democracy to govern undemocratically? Can the people elect an undemocratic leader? Is it possible for democracy to bring about authoritarianism? And if so, what does this say about democracy? My name is Justin Kempf. Every week I talk to the brightest minds on subjects like international relations, political theory, and history to explore democracy from every conceivable angle. Topics like civil resistance, authoritarian successor parties, and the autocratic middle class challenge our ideas about democracy. Join me as we unravel new topics every week.
Democracy Paradox
Latest Episodes
Michael McFaul Says Powerful Autocracies as a Lasting Threat
We don’t need to export ideas about freedom and democracy because those ideas are already really popular around the world.Michael McFaulWhy do some powerful countries become adversaries while others remain enduring allies? Mich...
Ian Shapiro Says the Left's "Preemptive Capitulation" to Neoliberalism Paved the Way for Populism
If we want people to support democratic capitalism, it has to be a kind of democratic capitalism that delivers for most people, and we haven't had that.Ian ShapiroWhat went wrong after the Cold War – and what can democracies learn...
Noam Lupu Says Support for Democracy Is Growing in the Americas, But Not Necessarily Liberal Democracy
The irony of democratic backsliding is a lot of these things are pitched to people and understood by people as actually pro-democratic.Noam LupuSupport for democracy is rising across the Americas after more than a decade of declin...
Alexander Cooley and Alexander Dukalskis Fear Autocracies Are Hijacking the International Order
There was an assumption that influence could only run one direction... but influence could run the other direction as well.Alexander CooleyAuthoritarian governments are exercising growing influence not only within their own border...
Suzanne Mettler Says the Rural-Urban Divide Threatens American Democracy
We barely disagree with each other, but we can't stand one another's party. Suzanne MettlerSuzanne Mettler is the John L. Senior Professor of American Institutions at Cornell University. She is the coauthor of Four ...