Dictators v Democrats: Why We Fight
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Democracy is at war. We can see the forces rallied against it: autocratic states like Russia, China, Iran and North Korea, techno-aristocrats, religious fundamentalists and populist demagogues.
From the trenches of Ukraine to the halls of power in the US, democratic, free values are under determined assault.
But, there are those who resist.
In 'Why We Fight' we talk to those who claim to be defending democracy; that's everyone from soldiers, protestors, activists, religious leaders, industrialists and politicians.
We find out who they are, what drove them to take up the struggle, what their work is and why their idea of democracy is worth fighting for.
Dictators v Democrats: Why We Fight
Jason Pack on Disorder, Institutional Failure and Why Democracy is Still Worth Fighting For
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Jason Pack, host of the Disorder podcast, joins Dictators v Democrats: Why We Fight to discuss his idea of “enduring disorder” — a world where democracies struggle to coordinate, institutions fail to deliver, and power is increasingly fragmented.
The conversation looks at what that means in practice: from Libya and Ukraine to British politics and the failures of Western leadership
What we cover
- What Pack means by “enduring disorder” — and why he thinks the post–Cold War system has broken down
- Why democracies are struggling to coordinate on major issues like climate, security and technology
- Libya as a case study in how international cooperation fails
- The rise of “disorder actors” — from authoritarian states to populist movements within democracies
- Whether democracy still offers anything tangible to ordinary people
- Why belief in democratic values may be weakening, even in the UK and US
- The role of money, media and private power in shaping modern politics
- Why people in stable democracies often care less about democracy than those who’ve lived under dictatorship
- Pack’s personal reasons for defending democratic systems
Key questions
- If the system is breaking down, what is democracy actually delivering?
- Are people turning away from democracy — or just losing faith in it?
- Who benefits from disorder: democracies or dictatorships?
- Can democratic systems adapt to an age of social media, AI and fragmented power?
Follow Jason's work
- Podcast: Disorder podcast
- Book: Libya and the Global Enduring Disorder