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Democracy Paradox

Justin Kempf

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.

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  • Feb 20, 2024 · 54 min

    Why is the Immigration System Broken? Jonathan Blitzer on How American Foreign Policy in Central America Created a Crisis

    Written into the DNA of American immigration policy, which we tend to regard as a kind of domestic policy - and which in many ways it is - has to do with US foreign policy. Jonathan Blitzer This episode was made in partnership with the Andrea Mitchell Center for the Study of Democracy. Proudly sponsored by the Kellogg Institute for International Studies. Learn more at https://kellogg.nd.edu Access Episodes Ad-Free on Patreon Make a one-time Donation to Democracy Paradox. Read Justin Kempf's essay "The Revolution Will Be Podcasted." A full transcript is available at www.democracyparadox.com. Jonathan Blitzer is a staff writer at The New Yorker. He won a 2017 National Award for Education Reporting for “American Studies,” a story about an underground school for undocumented immigrants. His writing and reporting have also appeared in the New York Times, The Atlantic, The Atavist, Oxford American, and The Nation. He is an Emerson Fellow at New America. His most recent book is Everyone Who Is Gone Is Here: The United States, Central America, and the Making of a Crisis. Key Highlights Introduction - 0:20 Personal Experiences - 3:12 Immigration and Foreign Policy - 12:25 Migration as a Crisis - 31:20 Bukele and El Salvador Today - 46:26 Key Links Everyone Who Is Gone Is Here: The United States, Central America, and the Making of a Crisis by Jonathan Blitzer “Do I Have to Come Here Injured or Dead?” by Jonathan Blitzer in The New Yorker Follow Jonathan Blitzer on X @JonathanBlitzer Democracy Paradox Podcast Rachel Schwartz on How Guatemala Rose Up Against Democratic Backsliding Joseph Wright and Abel Escribà-Folch on Migration’s Potential to Topple Dictatorships More Episodes from the Podcast More Information Apes of the State created all Music Email the show at jkempf@democracyparadox.com Follow on Twitter @DemParadox, Facebook, Instagram @democracyparadoxpodcast 100 Books on Democracy Support the show

  • Feb 13, 2024 · 43 min

    The Surveillance State in China Began With Mao Says Minxin Pei

    I think a powerful surveillance apparatus will continue to be a major obstacle to the development of democratic forces, but it will not be the decisive factor. Minxin Pei Proudly sponsored by the Kellogg Institute for International Studies. Learn more at https://kellogg.nd.edu Access Episodes Ad-Free on Patreon Make a one-time Donation to Democracy Paradox. Read Justin Kempf's essay "The Revolution Will Be Podcasted." A full transcript is available at www.democracyparadox.com. Minxin Pei is the Tom and Margot Pritzker ’72 Professor of Government and George R. Roberts Fellow at Claremont McKenna College. His most recent book is The Sentinel State: Surveillance and the Survival of Dictatorship in China. Key Highlights Introduction - 0:20 What is a Surveillance State - 2:55 Informants - 12:02 History - 23:43 Surveillance and Elites - 35:26 Key Links The Sentinel State: Surveillance and the Survival of Dictatorship in China by Minxin Pei "Why China Can’t Export Its Model of Surveillance" by Minxin Pei in Foreign Affairs "Totalitarianism’s Long Shadow" by Minxin Pei in Journal of Democracy Democracy Paradox Podcast Josh Chin on China’s Surveillance State Deng Xiaoping is Not Who You Think He is. Joseph Torigian on Leadership Transitions in China and the Soviet Union More Episodes from the Podcast More Information Apes of the State created all Music Email the show at jkempf@democracyparadox.com Follow on Twitter @DemParadox, Facebook, Instagram @democracyparadoxpodcast 100 Books on Democracy Support the show

  • Feb 6, 2024 · 54 min

    After a Coup, Can the Constitutional Order Be Repaired? Adem Abebe on Rebuilding Constitutions in West Africa

    As democracy promoters, we also need to pay a lot of attention to the material needs of people... When these material needs are not satisfied, people will be more willing to give nondemocratic forms a chance. Adem Abebe This episode was made in partnership with the Constitution Building Programme at International IDEA Access Episodes Ad-Free on Patreon Make a one-time Donation to Democracy Paradox. Proudly sponsored by the Kellogg Institute for International Studies. Learn more at https://kellogg.nd.edu Read Justin Kempf's essay "The Revolution Will Be Podcasted." A full transcript is available at www.democracyparadox.com. Adem Abebe is a senior advisor on constitution-building processes at International IDEA. He supports transitions from conflict and authoritarianism to peace and democracy, generates cutting edge knowledge, convenes platforms for dialogue and advocates for change. Adem is also Vice President of the African Network of Constitutional Lawyers, which promotes democratic constitutionalism across the continent. Key Highlights Introduction - 0:20 Why Military Coups Happen - 4:05 Holding Back Political Institutions - 19:23 Restoring Constitutional Order - 34:31 The Role of Constitutions - 48:54 Key Links Follow Adem Abebe on X @AdamAbebe Learn more about International IDEA Learn about the Constitution-Building Programme at International IDEA at Constitutionnet.org Democracy Paradox Podcast Can Poland Repair its Constitutional Democracy? Tomás Daly Believes it Can Marcela Rios Tobar on the Failed Constitutional Process in Chile More Episodes from the Podcast More Information Apes of the State created all Music Email the show at jkempf@democracyparadox.com Follow on Twitter @DemParadox, Facebook, Instagram @democracyparadoxpodcast 100 Books on Democracy Support the show

  • Jan 30, 2024 · 51 min

    Can Poland Repair its Constitutional Democracy? Tomás Daly Believes it Can

    Poland will be showing us the endless ingenuity of constitutional thinkers who are genuinely committed to democracy in its many forms. Tomás Daly This episode was made in partnership with the Constitution Building Programme at International IDEA Access Episodes Ad-Free on Patreon Make a one-time Donation to Democracy Paradox. Proudly sponsored by the Kellogg Institute for International Studies. Learn more at https://kellogg.nd.edu Read Justin Kempf's essay "The Revolution Will Be Podcasted." A full transcript is available at www.democracyparadox.com. Tomás Daly is a Professor at Melbourne Law School and Director of the Democratic Decay & Renewal (DEM-DEC) platform at www.democratic-decay.org. His new project on ‘constitutional repair’ addresses a pressing question: how can a democracy be repaired after being deeply degraded, but not ended, during a period of anti-democratic government? Key Highlights Introduction - 0:20 What is Constitutional Repair? - 3:48 Poland and its Constitutional Damage - 7:36 Constitutional Repair in Poland - 20:06 Avoiding Democratic Backsliding - 40:12 Key Links Constitutional Repair: A Comparative Theory by Tomás Daly Follow Tomás Daly on X @democracytalk Learn more about International IDEA Learn about the Constitution-Building Programme at International IDEA at Constitutionnet.org Democracy Paradox Podcast Kurt Weyland on the Resilience of Democracy How Can Democracy Survive in an Age of Discontent? Rachel Navarre and Matthew Rhodes-Purdy on Populism and Political Extremism More Episodes from the Podcast More Information Apes of the State created all Music Email the show at jkempf@democracyparadox.com Follow on Twitter @DemParadox, Facebook, Instagram @democracyparadoxpodcast 100 Books on Democracy Support the show

  • Jan 23, 2024 · 49 min

    Simon Shuster on Zelensky in War and Peace

    I think his heart is in the right place. I've talked to him about these things. He's very sensitive to the judgment of history. He knows that. Ukraine has been fighting since long before he became president to be an independent sovereign democracy with freedom of speech. Simon Shuster Proudly sponsored by the Kellogg Institute for International Studies. Learn more at https://kellogg.nd.edu Access Episodes Ad-Free on Patreon Make a one-time Donation to Democracy Paradox. A full transcript is available at www.democracyparadox.com. Read Justin Kempf's essay "The Revolution Will Be Podcasted." Simon Shuster is a staff writer for Time magazine who covers politics in Ukraine and Russia. His new book is called The Showman: Inside the Invasion That Shook the World and Made a Leader of Volodymyr Zelensky. Key Highlights Introduction - 0:20 The Early Zelensky - 3:30 Wartime President - 19:16 Politics in Wartime Ukraine - 33:59 Democracy in Ukraine - 36:18 Key Links The Showman: Inside the Invasion that Shook the World and Made a Leader of Volodymyr Zelensky by Simon Shuster "Where Zelensky Comes From" by Simon Shuster in Time Follow Simon Shuster on X @shustry Democracy Paradox Podcast Serhii Plokhy on the Russo-Ukrainian War Olga Onuch and Henry Hale Describe the Zelensky Effect More Episodes from the Podcast More Information Apes of the State created all Music Email the show at jkempf@democracyparadox.com Follow on Twitter @DemParadox, Facebook, Instagram @democracyparadoxpodcast 100 Books on Democracy Support the show

  • Jan 16, 2024 · 50 min

    Marcela Rios Tobar on the Failed Constitutional Process in Chile

    When politics has to solve the problems that it has caused, how can politics do that? Marcela Rios Tobar This episode was made in partnership with the Constitution Building Programme at International IDEA Proudly sponsored by the Kellogg Institute for International Studies. Learn more at https://kellogg.nd.edu Access Episodes Ad-Free on Patreon Make a one-time Donation to Democracy Paradox. A full transcript is available at www.democracyparadox.com. Marcela Rios Tobar is the Director for Latin America and the Caribbean at International IDEA. From March 2022 until January 2023 she served as the Minister of Justice and Human Rights in Chile under Gabriel Boric. Key Highlights Introduction - 0:20 Background - 3:40 The Draft Constitutions - 18:04 Lost Opportunity? 35:11 Exceptional or Harbinger - 46:55 Key Links Learn more about International IDEA Learn about the Constitution-Building Programme at International IDEA at Constitutionnet.org Read more about Chile's constitutional journey Democracy Paradox Podcast Jennifer Piscopo on the Constitutional Chaos in Chile Aldo Madariaga on Neoliberalism, Democratic Deficits, and Chile More Episodes from the Podcast More Information Apes of the State created all Music Email the show at jkempf@democracyparadox.com Follow on Twitter @DemParadox, Facebook, Instagram @democracyparadoxpodcast 100 Books on Democracy Support the show

  • Jan 9, 2024 · 52 min

    Kurt Weyland on the Resilience of Democracy

    Populist leaders want polarization. They start polarization. They confront. Kurt Weyland Proudly sponsored by the Kellogg Institute for International Studies. Learn more at https://kellogg.nd.edu Access Episodes Ad-Free on Patreon Make a one-time Donation to Democracy Paradox. A full transcript is available at www.democracyparadox.com. Kurt Weyland is the Mike Hogg Professor in Liberal Arts. He has written many books. His most recent is Democracy's Resilience to Populism's Threat: Countering Global Alarmism. He has also authored the article "Why Democracy Survives Populism" in the Journal of Democracy. Key Highlights Introduction - 0:45 Democratic Breakdown in Peru - 2:56 The Populist Threat - 18:46 Institutional Strength - 25:19 Countering Global Alarmism - 46:19 Key Links "Why Democracy Survives Populism" by Kurt Weyland in Journal of Democracy Democracy's Resilience to Populism's Threat: Countering Global Alarmism by Kurt Weyland Assault on Democracy: Communism, Fascism, and Authoritarianism During the Interwar Years by Kurt Weyland Democracy Paradox Podcast Kurt Weyland Distinguishes Between Fascism and Authoritarianism Jason Brownlee Believes We Underestimate Democratic Resilience More Episodes from the Podcast More Information Apes of the State created all Music Email the show at jkempf@democracyparadox.com Follow on Twitter @DemParadox, Facebook, Instagram @democracyparadoxpodcast 100 Books on Democracy Support the show

  • Jan 2, 2024 · 42 min

    Is a New Jim Crow Emerging in India? Ashutosh Varshney Gives a Warning

    That's the point here. It's not there yet. But if electorally the BJP keeps winning, this is a prospect that must be faced. Ashutosh Varshney Proudly sponsored by the Kellogg Institute for International Studies. Learn more at https://kellogg.nd.edu Listen ad-free for just a $5/month on Patreon Make a one-time Donation to Democracy Paradox. A full transcript is available at www.democracyparadox.com. Ashutosh Varshney is the Sol Goldman Professor of International Studies and the Social Sciences at Brown University. He is the author of many books and papers on India and its politics. His most recent article (coauthored with Connor Staggs), published in Journal of Democracy, is "Hindu Nationalism and the New Jim Crow." Key Highlights Introduction - 1:31 Hindu Nationalism - 3:48 Jim Crow and India - 12:08 Vigilantism - 23:53 Solutions - 34:46 Key Links "Hindu Nationalism and the New Jim Crow" by Ashutosh Varshney and Connor Staggs in Journal of Democracy "India’s Democracy at 70: Growth, Inequality, and Nationalism" by Ashutosh Varshney in Journal of Democracy Follow Ashutosh Varshney on X @ProfVarshney Democracy Paradox Podcast Ashutosh Varshney on India. Democracy in Hard Places Is India Still a Democracy? Rahul Verma Emphatically Says Yes More Episodes from the Podcast More Information Apes of the State created all Music Email the show at jkempf@democracyparadox.com Follow on Twitter @DemParadox, Facebook, Instagram @democracyparadoxpodcast 100 Books on Democracy Support the show

  • Dec 26, 2023 · 51 min

    Does Democracy Rely on a Civic Bargain? Josiah Ober Makes the Case

    What we really need to do is recommit to the idea that this is difficult, it is valuable, and in order to keep this valuable, difficult thing going, we need to basically pay the cost of educating ourselves, educating the next generation, the background knowledge and skills that citizens need if they are to continue to govern themselves... Josiah Ober Support the podcast on Patreon Make a one-time Donation to Democracy Paradox. A full transcript is available at www.democracyparadox.com. Josiah Ober is a Professor of Classics and Political Science at Stanford University and a Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution. He is the coauthor, along with Brook Manville, of The Civic Bargain: How Democracy Survives. Key Highlights Introduction - 0:49 What is Democracy? 3:15 Conditions and Constraints - 20:17 Classical Democracy - 24:26 Future of Democracy - 39:21 Key Links The Civic Bargain: How Democracy Survives by Brook Manville and Josiah Ober Demopolis: Democracy before Liberalism in Theory and Practice by Josiah Ober Lean more about Josiah Ober Democracy Paradox Podcast How Can Democracy Survive in an Age of Discontent? Rachel Navarre and Matthew Rhodes-Purdy on Populism and Political Extremism Marc Plattner Has Quite a Bit to Say About Democracy More Episodes from the Podcast More Information Apes of the State created all Music Email the show at jkempf@democracyparadox.com Follow on Twitter @DemParadox, Facebook, Instagram @democracyparadoxpodcast 100 Books on Democracy Support the show

  • Dec 19, 2023 · 43 min

    Is Islamism Democratic? Sebnem Gumuscu on Islamist Parties in Egypt, Tunisia, and Turkey

    If these Islamist organizations want to stay in these contexts and keep playing the democratic game, they need to commit to the democratic game in the longer run. Sebnem Gumuscu Support the podcast on Patreon Make a one-time Donation to Democracy Paradox. A full transcript is available at www.democracyparadox.com. Sebnem Gumuscu is an associate professor of political science at Middlebury College and the author of Democracy or Authoritarianism: Islamist Governments in Turkey, Egypt, and Tunisia. Key Highlights Introduction - 0:31 What is Islamism - 2:48 Liberal and Electoralists - 19:23 Role of Elites - 35:16 Islamism in the Long Run - 37:09 Key Links Democracy or Authoritarianism: Islamist Governments in Turkey, Egypt, and Tunisia by Sebnem Gumuscu "How Erdoğan’s Populism Won Again'" by Sebnem Gumuscu and Berk Esen Follow Sebnem Gumuscu on X @sebnemisback Democracy Paradox Podcast Berk Esen and Sebnem Gumuscu on the Disappointing Elections in Turkey… or How Democratic (or Autocratic) is Turkey Really? Shadi Hamid on Democracy, Liberalism, and the Middle East More Episodes from the Podcast More Information Apes of the State created all Music Email the show at jkempf@democracyparadox.com Follow on Twitter @DemParadox, Facebook, Instagram @democracyparadoxpodcast 100 Books on Democracy Support the show

  • Dec 12, 2023 · 52 min

    Can America Fight Back Against the Authoritarian Economic Statecraft of China? Bethany Allen Believes We Can

    In the past 26 years, to this day, there has not been one major Hollywood production that has gone against a major Chinese Communist Party red line. Not one. Twenty-six years of silence. Bethany Allen Support the podcast on Patreon Make a one-time Donation to Democracy Paradox. A full transcript is available at www.democracyparadox.com. Bethany Allen is the China reporter at Axios and the author of Beijing Rules: How China Weaponized Its Economy to Confront the World. Key Highlights Introduction - 0:48 The Authoritarian Economic Statecraft of China - 3:32 Trump Administration and China Policy - 22:24 Another Cold War - 34:26 American Options for Response - 48:16 Key Links Beijing Rules: How China Weaponized Its Economy to Confront the World by Bethany Allen "Zoom closed account of U.S.-based Chinese activist 'to comply with local law'" by Bethany Allen Follow Bethany Allen on X @BethanyAllenEbr Democracy Paradox Podcast Hal Brands Thinks China is a Declining Power… Here’s Why that’s a Problem Josh Chin on China’s Surveillance State More Episodes from the Podcast More Information Apes of the State created all Music Email the show at jkempf@democracyparadox.com Follow on Twitter @DemParadox, Facebook, Instagram @democracyparadoxpodcast 100 Books on Democracy Support the show

  • Dec 5, 2023 · 46 min

    Does Democracy Die in Darkness? Katlyn Carter on Transparency and Secrecy in Early Representative Governments

    If we're thinking about democracy as something broader that is producing equality, justice or these kind of things, often those policies that we might describe as democratic policies can emerge from processes that are undemocratic. I think that's uncomfortable for us to think about. Katlyn Carter Support the podcast on Patreon Make a one-time Donation to Democracy Paradox. A full transcript is available at www.democracyparadox.com. Katlyn Carter is an assistant professor of history at Notre Dame University. She is the author of Democracy in Darkness: Secrecy and Transparency in the Age of Revolutions. Key Highlights Introduction - 0:41 The Birth of Republics - 3:10 Publicity - 19:23 Spectacle - 26:43 Representation - 35:43 Key Links Democracy in Darkness: Secrecy and Transparency in the Age of Revolutions by Katlyn Carter Katlyn Carter on My History Can Beat Up Your Politics Learn more about Katlyn Carter Democracy Paradox Podcast Heather Cox Richardson on History, Conservatism, and the Awakening of American Democracy Daniel Ziblatt on American Democracy, the Republican Party, and the Tyranny of the Minority More Episodes from the Podcast More Information Apes of the State created all Music Email the show at jkempf@democracyparadox.com Follow on Twitter @DemParadox, Facebook, Instagram @democracyparadoxpodcast 100 Books on Democracy Support the show

  • Nov 28, 2023 · 46 min

    How Can Democracy Survive in an Age of Discontent? Rachel Navarre and Matthew Rhodes-Purdy on Populism and Political Extremism

    I think populism is rather a specific form of discontent. Discontent is the umbrella term. It's this vague sense that the way things are being done is not working. That democracy is not effective. That it's not serving my interests. Matthew Rhodes-Purdy Support the podcast on Patreon Make a one-time Donation to Democracy Paradox. A full transcript is available at www.democracyparadox.com. Rachel Navarre is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Political Science and Master of Public Administration Program at Bridgewater State University. Matthew Rhodes-Purdy is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Political Science at Clemson University. They are the coauthors (along with Stephen Utych) of The Age of Discontent: Populism, Extremism, and Conspiracy Theories in Contemporary Democracies. Key Highlights Introduction - 0:53 What is Discontent - 3:21 Crisis and Discontent - 13:34 Rise of Populism - 25:13 An End to Neoliberalism? - 39:20 Key Links The Age of Discontent: Populism, Extremism, and Conspiracy Theories in Contemporary Democracies by Matthew Rhodes-Purdy, Rachel Navarre, and Stephen Utych Learn more about Rachel Navarre here. Learn more about Matthew Rhodes-Purdy here. Democracy Paradox Podcast Daniel Ziblatt on American Democracy, the Republican Party, and the Tyranny of the Minority Marc Plattner Has Quite a Bit to Say About Democracy More Episodes from the Podcast More Information Apes of the State created all Music Email the show at jkempf@democracyparadox.com Follow on Twitter @DemParadox, Facebook, Instagram @democracyparadoxpodcast 100 Books on Democracy Support the show

  • Nov 21, 2023 · 44 min

    Rachel Schwartz on How Guatemala Rose Up Against Democratic Backsliding

    This was an election that was meant to cement authoritarian rule and it became a democratic breakthrough. Rachel Schwartz Access Bonus Episodes on Patreon Make a one-time Donation to Democracy Paradox. A full transcript is available at www.democracyparadox.com. Rachel Schwartz is an assistant professor of international and area studies at the University of Oklahoma. Recently, she cowrote an article with Anita Isaacs for the Journal of Democracy called, “How Guatemala Defied the Odds." She also authored a book earlier this year called Undermining the State from Within: The Institutional Legacies of Civil War in Central America. Key Highlights Introduction - 0:33 The 2023 Election - 2:46 A Weak State - 17:18 Democratic Backsliding - 30:53 Rejuvenating Democracy - 39:39 Key Links Undermining the State from Within: The Institutional Legacies of Civil War in Central America by Rachel Schwartz "How Guatemala Defied the Odds" in Journal of Democracy by Rachel Schwartz "Guatemala: Resisting Democratic Backsliding in the Least Likely of Places?" by Rachel Schwartz Democracy Paradox Podcast Wendy Hunter on Lula, Bolsonaro, January 8th and Democracy in Brazil Jennifer Piscopo on the Constitutional Chaos in Chile More Episodes from the Podcast More Information Apes of the State created all Music Email the show at jkempf@democracyparadox.com Follow on Twitter @DemParadox, Facebook, Instagram @democracyparadoxpodcast 100 Books on Democracy Support the show

  • Nov 14, 2023 · 59 min

    Who is Alexey Navalny? David Herszenhorn Paints a Picture

    It's impossible not to admire somebody who is willing to stand up for their country, for freedom and democracy, for the idea that Russians should be able to chart their own future and have a say in what their government looks like. David Herszenhorn Access Bonus Episodes on Patreon Make a one-time Donation to Democracy Paradox. A full transcript is available at www.democracyparadox.com. David Herszenhorn is the Russia, Ukraine, and Eastern Europe editor at The Washington Post and was a correspondent for Politico Europe and The New York Times. He is the author The Dissident: Alexey Navalny: Profile of a Political Prisoner. Key Highlights Introduction - 0:44 Navalny as a Political Figure - 3:13 Navalny and the State - 21:26 Navalny and Russian Repression - 34:41 Politician or Dissident? 42:45 Key Links The Dissident: Alexey Navalny: Profile of a Political Prisoner by David Herszenhorn "Alexey Navalny Never Wanted to Be a Dissident" in Politico by David Herszenhorn "For Putin foe Alexey Navalny, Ukraine has long been a volatile issue" in The Washington Post by David Herszenhorn Democracy Paradox Podcast Olga Onuch and Henry Hale Describe the Zelensky Effect Michael McFaul and Robert Person on Putin, Russia, and the War in Ukraine More Episodes from the Podcast More Information Apes of the State created all Music Email the show at jkempf@democracyparadox.com Follow on Twitter @DemParadox, Facebook, Instagram @democracyparadoxpodcast 100 Books on Democracy Support the show

  • Nov 7, 2023 · 51 min

    Leadership is Not a Formula Says Moshik Temkin

    Leadership is not a formula. It's not something that happens in a vacuum. It's not just something that you can declare about yourself. Moshik Temkin Access Bonus Episodes on Patreon Make a one-time Donation to Democracy Paradox. A full transcript is available at www.democracyparadox.com. Moshik Temkin is a Distinguished Visiting Professor of Leadership and History at Schwarzman College, Tsinghua University, and a fellow at Harvard University’s Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs. His most recent book is Warriors, Rebels, and Saints: The Art of Leadership from Machiavelli to Malcolm X. Key Highlights Introduction - 0:45 What is Leadership? 3:12 Powerless Leadership - 11:58 Ethics of Leadership - 24:10 Ordinary Leadership - 40:16 Key Links Warriors, Rebels, and Saints: The Art of Leadership from Machiavelli to Malcolm X by Moshik Temkin Learn more about Moshik Temkin Follow Moshik Temkin on X at @moshik_temkin Democracy Paradox Podcast Larry Bartels Says Democracy Erodes from the Top Moisés Naím on the New Dynamics of Political Power More Episodes from the Podcast More Information Apes of the State created all Music Email the show at jkempf@democracyparadox.com Follow on Twitter @DemParadox, Facebook, Instagram @democracyparadoxpodcast 100 Books on Democracy Support the show

  • Oct 31, 2023 · 47 min

    Patricia Evangelista Says The Philippines is an Example of What Happens When Autocrats and Dictators Rise and We Let Them

    For people like me or just your ordinary Joes who speak of democracy, I thought it meant freedom. I thought it meant a free press. I thought it meant that people would not die on the streets. Patricia Evangelista Access Bonus Episodes on Patreon Make a one-time Donation to Democracy Paradox. A full transcript is available at www.democracyparadox.com. Patricia Evangelista is a trauma journalist and former investigative reporter for the Philippine news company Rappler. She has received the Kate Webb Prize for exceptional journalism in dangerous conditions. Recently, she authored the book Some People Need Killing: A Memoir of Murder in My Country. Key Highlights Introduction - 0:46 The Philippines and Duterte - 2:37 The Drug War - 11:04 Vigilantes and Police - 25:26 Democracy in the Philippines - 34:11 Key Links Some People Need Killing: A Memoir of Murder in My Country by Patricia Evangelista Read the original "Some People Need Killing" published in Rappler.com Follow Patricia Evangelista on X at @patevangelista Democracy Paradox Podcast Moisés Naím on the New Dynamics of Political Power Guillermo Trejo and Sandra Ley on the Political Logic of Criminal Wars in Mexico More Episodes from the Podcast More Information Apes of the State created all Music Email the show at jkempf@democracyparadox.com Follow on Twitter @DemParadox, Facebook, Instagram @democracyparadoxpodcast 100 Books on Democracy Support the show

  • Oct 24, 2023 · 56 min

    Cenk Uygur is Running an Unorthodox Campaign for President

    You could take that populism and turn it negative, which often happens... But populism could also be a wonderful thing where you're actually appealing to what the voters want instead of what the powerful want. Cenk Uygur Access Bonus Episodes on Patreon Make a one-time Donation to Democracy Paradox. A full transcript is available at www.democracyparadox.com. Cenk Uygur is a host of the show The Young Turks and the founder, president, and CEO of its parent company TYT. He is a Democratic Party candidate for President of the United States and the author of Justice Is Coming: How Progressives Are Going to Take Over the Country and America Is Going to Love It. Key Highlights Introduction - 0:42 Cenk's Presidential Campaign - 2:49 Progressive Issues - 26:56 Populism - 40:28 Polarization - 49:17 Key Links Justice Is Coming: How Progressives Are Going to Take Over the Country and America Is Going to Love It by Cenk Uygur Support Cenk Uygur's campaign at cenkforamerica.com Check out The Young Turks and other TYT programs at tyt.com Democracy Paradox Podcast Heather Cox Richardson on History, Conservatism, and the Awakening of American Democracy Daniel Ziblatt on American Democracy, the Republican Party, and the Tyranny of the Minority More Episodes from the Podcast More Information Apes of the State created all Music Email the show at jkempf@democracyparadox.com Follow on Twitter @DemParadox, Facebook, Instagram @democracyparadoxpodcast 100 Books on Democracy Support the show

  • Oct 17, 2023 · 49 min

    Shadi Hamid on Democracy, Liberalism, and the Middle East

    Autocracy as we understand it today is a modern creation. I think there we see very few successful examples of modern autocracies that are able to sustain themselves. Shadi Hamid Access Bonus Episodes on Patreon Make a one-time Donation to Democracy Paradox. A full transcript is available at www.democracyparadox.com. Shadi Hamid is a columnist and member of the Editorial Board at The Washington Post. He is also a research professor of Islamic studies at Fuller Seminary and the co-host of the podcast Wisdom of Crowds. His most recent book is The Problem of Democracy: America, the Middle East, and the Rise and Fall of an Idea. Key Highlights Introduction - 0:32 The Problem of Democracy - 2:25 Islamism - 5:51 Turkey - 22:47 Autocratic Rulers - 32:20 Key Links The Problem of Democracy: America, the Middle East, and the Rise and Fall of an Idea by Shadi Hamid Follow Shadi Hamid on Twitter @shadihamid Wisdom of Crowds Democracy Paradox Podcast Robert Kaplan on the Politics of the Past and Future of the Greater Middle East Steven Simon on American Foreign Policy in the Middle East including Iran and the Wars in Iraq More Episodes from the Podcast More Information Apes of the State created all Music Email the show at jkempf@democracyparadox.com Follow on Twitter @DemParadox, Facebook, Instagram @democracyparadoxpodcast 100 Books on Democracy Support the show

  • Oct 10, 2023 · 46 min

    Branko Milanovic on Different Visions of Inequality

    Writing a book like that makes you really think brutally about the past. It makes you really think about the current time and also how the future would look at you. Branko Milanovic Access Bonus Episodes on Patreon Make a one-time Donation to Democracy Paradox. A full transcript is available at www.democracyparadox.com. Branko Milanovic is a Research Professor at the City University of New York and a Senior Scholar at the Stone Center on Socio-Economic Inequality. He served as the lead economist in the World Bank’s Research Department for almost 20 years. His most recent book is Visions of Inequality: From the French Revolution to the End of the Cold War. Key Highlights Introduction - 0:31 Why Economic Inequality - 2:53 Ideas Before 1820 - 13:26 Marx and Socialism - 19:52 Piketty and Modern Thought - 40:17 Key Links Visions of Inequality: From the French Revolution to the End of the Cold War by Branko Milanovic globalinequality blog by Branko Milanovic Follow Branko Milanovic on X @BrankoMilan Democracy Paradox Podcast Thomas Piketty on Equality Jacob Hacker and Paul Pierson on the Plutocratic Populism of the Republican Party More Episodes from the Podcast More Information Apes of the State created all Music Email the show at jkempf@democracyparadox.com Follow on Twitter @DemParadox, Facebook, Instagram @democracyparadoxpodcast 100 Books on Democracy Support the show