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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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Episodes235

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  • Nov 9, 2021 · 52 min

    Daniel Brinks on the Politics of Institutional Weakness

    We don't think about institutions until they fail and we think of institutions as being really strong when maybe they've never been challenged. They've never really tried to do anything. Daniel Brinks A full transcript is available at www.democracyparadox.com or a short review of The Politics of Institutional Weakness in Latin America here. Daniel Brinks joins the podcast to discuss his new book The Politics of Institutional Weakness in Latin America. He is the coeditor along with Steven Levitsky and María Victoria Murillo. Dan is a professor of Government and of Law at the University of Texas at Austin and a Senior Researcher & Global Scholar of the Centre on Law and Social Transformation. Key Highlights What is institutional weakness? How does it differ from state capacity? How does civil society affect political institutions? What is the role of constitutions? How do Presidential systems affect other political institutions? Key Links The Politics of Institutional Weakness in Latin America edited by Daniel M. Brinks, Steven Levitsky, and María Victoria Murillo Department of Government at The University of Texas at Austin where Daniel Brinks teaches Centre of Law and Social Transformation at the Christian Michelsen Institute in Norway where Daniel Brinks is a Senior Researcher & Global Scholar Related Content Donald Horowitz on the Formation of Democratic Constitutions William G. Howell and Terry M. Moe on the Presidency More from the Podcast More Information Democracy Group Apes of the State created all Music Email the show at jkempf@democracyparadox.com Follow on Twitter @DemParadox Follow on Instagram @democracyparadoxpodcast 100 Books on Democracy Support the show

  • Nov 2, 2021 · 50 min

    Elizabeth Perry and Grzegorz Ekiert on State-Mobilized Movements

    What we are doing in this volume is blurring the boundaries between this older conception of top-down mobilized movements and this newer conception of bottom-up organic, spontaneous civil society propelled movements and discovering that there's an awful lot in the middle there. Elizabeth Perry A full transcript is available at www.democracyparadox.com or a short review of Ruling by Other Means: State-Mobilized Movements here. Elizabeth Perry and Grzegorz Ekiert join the podcast to discuss their new book Ruling by Other Means: State-Mobilized Movements (coedited with Xiaojun Yan). Elizabeth is the Henry Rosovsky Professor of Government at Harvard University and Director of the Harvard-Yenching Institute. Grzegorz is the Laurence A. Tisch Professor of Government at Harvard University and Director of Minda de Gunzburg Center for European Studies. Key Highlights What are state-mobilized movements? Why do authoritarian regimes mobilize supporters? The role of violence in state-mobilized movements Why do people mobilize to support dictators? What does it teach us about civil society? Key Links Ruling by Other Means: State-Mobilized Movements edited by Grzegorz Ekiert, Elizabeth J. Perry, and Yan Xiaojun Minda de Gunzburg Center for European Studies Harvard-Yenching Institute Related Content Erica Chenoweth on Civil Resistance Jonathan Pinckney on Civil Resistance Transitions More from the Podcast More Information Democracy Group Apes of the State created all Music Email the show at jkempf@democracyparadox.com Follow on Twitter @DemParadox Follow on Instagram @democracyparadoxpodcast 100 Books on Democracy Support the show

  • Oct 26, 2021 · 43 min

    Susan Rose-Ackerman on the Role of the Executive in Four Different Democracies

    Many of these things that you and I are talking about are simply initiatives put forward by the chief executive or maybe by a cabinet minister. Something they want to do and rather than something that they're required to do. And it seems to me that that's a rather fragile base on which to build a more effective participatory process, which doesn't give up on the role of technocracy and expertise. Susan Rose-Ackerman A full transcript is available at www.democracyparadox.com or a short review of Democracy and Executive Power: Policymaking Accountability in the US, the UK, Germany, and France here. Susan Rose-Ackerman joins the podcast to discuss her new book Democracy and Executive Power: Policymaking Accountability in the US, the UK, Germany, and France. Susan is the Henry R. Luce Professor Emeritus of Law and Political Science at Yale University. Key Highlights Include How have executives handled the pandemic Differences between the executives of Germany, France, UK and US How different executives make rules to implement public statutes Description of deliberative democracy used in France to create environmental policies Is the administrative state democratic Key Links Democracy and Executive Power: Policymaking Accountability in the US, the UK, Germany, and France by Susan Rose-Ackerman Susan Rose-Ackerman on Wikipedia EPuM Interview with Susan Rose-Ackerman on YouTube Related Content Lee Drutman Makes the Case for Multiparty Democracy in America William G. Howell and Terry M. Moe on the Presidency More from the Podcast More Information Democracy Group Apes of the State created all Music Email the show at jkempf@democracyparadox.com Follow on Twitter @DemParadox Follow on Instagram @democracyparadoxpodcast 100 Books on Democracy Support the show

  • Oct 19, 2021 · 51 min

    Tom Ginsburg Shares his Thoughts on Democracy and International Law

    At the end of the day, I am optimistic despite all the evidence. First of all, I think there are a lot of resources that democracies can use. A lot of areas of law, where as long as we recognize what it is we're fighting for, democracy is worth fighting for and have a common view as to what that means that we can advance it in many places, not just here but abroad. And this might sound a little hokey, but there really is a genuine human demand for freedom and that's not going away. Tom Ginsburg A full transcript is available at www.democracyparadox.com or a short review of Democracies and International Law here. Tom Ginsburg is a professor of international law and political science at the University of Chicago. He is the coauthor of How to Save a Constitutional Democracy with Aziz Huq and the author of Democracies and International Law. Key Highlights Include How is international law made and enforced? How do democracies approach international law differently than authoritarian regimes? Is there a right to democracy? Differences and similarities between the approach of China and the United States towards international law. How do regional organizations support democratic norms? Key Links Democracies and International Law by Tom Ginsburg Follow Tom Ginsburg on Twitter @tomginsburg How to Save a Constitutional Democracy by Tom Ginsburg and Aziz Huq Democracy Paradox Podcast Charles Kupchan on America's Tradition of Isolationism John Ikenberry on Liberal Internationalism More Episodes from the Podcast More Information Democracy Group Apes of the State created all Music Email the show at jkempf@democracyparadox.com Follow on Twitter @DemParadox Follow on Instagram @democracyparadoxpodcast 100 Books on Democracy Support the show

  • Oct 12, 2021 · 50 min

    Robert Meister Believes Justice is an Option

    So, now I've developed a way of talking about revolution as an option that can't be exercised, but that still has present value and I've set up a mechanism for saying what that present value is. Namely the value of the liquidity premium that a democracy that consents to maintaining accumulated wealth can extract for guaranteeing that the wealth continues to accumulate. Robert Meister A full transcript is available at www.democracyparadox.com or a short review of Justice is an Option: A Democratic Theory of Finance for the Twenty-First Century here. Robert Meister is the author of the new book Justice is an Option: A Democratic Theory of Finance for the Twenty-First Century and a Professor of Social and Political Thought in the History of Consciousness Department at the University of California Santa Cruz. Key Highlights Include What is historical justice? An overview of financial terms How is justice an option? Is capitalism compatible with justice? Will historical justice happen or is it just an option? Key Links Justice Is an Option: A Democratic Theory of Finance for the Twenty-First Century by Robert Meister A Theory of Justice by John Rawls Spheres of Justice by Michael Walzer Democracy Paradox Podcast Sheryl WuDunn Paints a Picture of Poverty in America and Offers Hope for Solutions Jacob Hacker and Paul Pierson on the Plutocratic Populism of the Republican Party More Episodes from the Podcast More Information Democracy Group Apes of the State created all Music Email the show at jkempf@democracyparadox.com Follow on Twitter @DemParadox Follow on Instagram @democracyparadoxpodcast 100 Books on Democracy Support the show

  • Oct 5, 2021 · 53 min

    Martin Conway Believes "Democracy Owes its Durability Not to its Principles but to its Flexibility." Democracy in Western Europe from 1945 to 1968

    Where you and I and, I think, many others start from an assumption that somehow there is a thing called democracy and we sort of know what it is. But the diversity within democracy is far larger than that. You know, there's clear big institutional temperamental differences between visions of representatives ruling, people ruling, and so on. All these sorts of things are different models of democracy and therefore the word democracy in some respects becomes rather meaningless. Martin Conway A full transcript is available at www.democracyparadox.com or a short review of Western Europe’s Democratic Age: 1945—1968 here. Martin Conway is the author of the new book Western Europe’s Democratic Age: 1945—1968 and a Professor of Contemporary European History at the University of Oxford. Key Highlights Include Why Democracy Became Part of Western Europe's Identity How Democracy was a Process of Continual Negotiation The Distinct Characteristics of Democracy in Western Europe An Account of the Transition from the Fourth to the Fifth Republic in France Lessons for Democracy Today from Western Europe's Past Key Links Western Europe's Democratic Age: 1945-1968 by Martin Conway Learn more about Martin Conway at Balliol College at the University of Oxford Democracy and Dictatorship in Europe by Sheri Berman Democracy Paradox Podcast Kurt Weyland Distinguishes Between Fascism and Authoritarianism Michael Hughes on the History of Democracy in Germany More Episodes from the Podcast More Information Democracy Group Apes of the State created all Music Email the show at jkempf@democracyparadox.com Follow on Twitter @DemParadox Follow on Instagram @democracyparadoxpodcast 100 Books on Democracy Support the show

  • Sep 28, 2021 · 49 min

    Donald Horowitz on the Formation of Democratic Constitutions

    The most beautiful thing that happened in Indonesia, by the way, which was a polarized society along religious lines more than anything else, was that by the end of the proceedings, everybody knew what everybody else's problems were, what everyone else's constituencies wanted. They knew if X noticed that Y was making a demand, before long X figured out what was behind the demand and why Y had to make it and whether it was a real demand or whether it was made just for the sake of being on record. Donald Horowitz A full transcript is available at www.democracyparadox.com or a short review of Constitutional Processes and Democratic Commitment here. Donald Horowitz is the James B. Duke Professor of Law and Political Science Emeritus at Duke University. Key Highlights Include Accounts of constitutional formation in Tunisia, Indonesia, and Malaysia The role of consensus The challenges of negotiated constitutions The need for an inclusive process Why citizen participation is not always beneficial Key Links Constitutional Processes and Democratic Commitment by Donald Horowitz "Ethnic Power Sharing: Three Big Problems" by Donald Horowitz in the Journal of Democracy Reconsidering Democratic Transitions Francis Fukuyama, Donald Horowitz, Larry Diamond on YouTube Democracy Paradox Podcast Aldo Madariaga on Neoliberalism, Democratic Deficits, and Chile Hélène Landemore on Democracy without Elections More Episodes from the Podcast More Information Democracy Group Apes of the State created all Music Email the show at jkempf@democracyparadox.com Follow on Twitter @DemParadox Follow on Instagram @democracyparadoxpodcast 100 Books on Democracy Support the show

  • Sep 21, 2021 · 53 min

    Guillermo Trejo and Sandra Ley on the Political Logic of Criminal Wars in Mexico

    Up to today, since the Mexican government deployed the military in 2006 up to the present, Mexico has experienced close to 200,000 battle deaths. That's roughly the number of battle deaths that took place in the civil war in Guatemala. So, the 36 year old civil war in Guatemala that produced approximately 200,000 battle deaths. That's where Mexico is right now. Guillermo Trejo A full transcript is available at www.democracyparadox.com or a brief primer on Mexican politics here. Guillermo Trejo is an Associate Professor at the University of Notre Dame. Sandra Ley is an Assistant Professor at CIDE’s Political Studies Division in Mexico City. They are the authors of Votes, Drugs, and Violence: The Political Logic of Criminal Wars in Mexico. Key Highlights Include A vivid description of the effects of the criminal wars in Mexico How autocracy allows for the proliferation of organized crime Why Mexico remains an 'illiberal democracy' How polarization exacerbated criminal violence in Mexico The importance of deeper degrees of democratization Key Links Votes, Drugs, and Violence: The Political Logic of Criminal Wars in Mexico by Guillermo Trejo and Sandra Ley Follow Guillermo Trejo on Twitter @Gtrejo29 Follow Sandra Ley on Twitter @sjleyg Democracy Paradox Podcast Michael Miller on the Unexpected Paths to Democratization James Loxton Explains Why Authoritarian Successor Parties Succeed in Democracies More Episodes from the Podcast More Information Democracy Group Apes of the State created all Music Email the show at jkempf@democracyparadox.com Follow on Twitter @DemParadox Follow on Instagram @democracyparadoxpodcast 100 Books on Democracy Support the show

  • Sep 14, 2021 · 49 min

    Rana Siu Inboden on China and the International Human Rights Regime

    Chinese participation in the human rights regime probably was never really intended to alter human rights so much in China that it would jeopardize the Chinese Communist Party’s hold on power. I think China, even if it may have been open to some areas of human rights, I think that we have to keep in mind that the full implementation of human rights including all of the elements of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights would mean that political competition is allowed. And that's just not something I see the current Chinese regime allowing. Rana Siu Inboden A full transcript is available at www.democracyparadox.com or a brief primer on the human rights regime here. Rana Siu Inboden is a senior fellow with the Robert Strauss Center for International Security and Law at the University of Texas–Austin. Her new book is China and the International Human Rights Regime: 1982-2017. Key Highlights Include What is the Human Rights Regime China's Participation in the Human Rights Regime How Tiananmen Changed China's View on Human Rights What is the Like Minded Group How China Views Human Rights Key Links China and the International Human Rights Regime: 1982-2017 by Rana Siu Inboden China at the UN: Choking Civil Society by Rana Siu Inboden in Journal of Democracy United Nations Human Rights Council Related Content Mareike Ohlberg on the Global Influence of the Chinese Communist Party Xiaoyu Pu on China's Global Identities More from the Podcast More Information Democracy Group Apes of the State created all Music Email the show at jkempf@democracyparadox.com Follow on Twitter @DemParadox Follow on Instagram @democracyparadoxpodcast 100 Books on Democracy Support the show

  • Sep 7, 2021 · 48 min

    Timothy Frye Says Putin is a Weak Strongman

    Putin in the past could claim to have won at least an honest plurality, if not an honest majority of votes given his approval. However, in the upcoming election this fall, in September, it looks like the Kremlin has so restricted political competition that it's going to be a difficult sell to the Russian public to show that these elections are even as legitimate as the elections held in 2016 or in 2011. Timothy Frye A full transcript is available at www.democracyparadox.com or a brief primer on personalism here. Timothy Frye is a Professor of Post-Soviet Foreign Policy at Columbia University and a research director at the Higher School of Economics in Moscow. Key Highlights Include Is Putin's popularity real? Why Russia holds elections at all Description of Russia as a personalist autocracy How autocracy shapes Russia's foreign policy What are the prospects for democratization in Russia Key Links Weak Strongman: The Limits of Power in Putin's Russia by Timothy Frye Russia's Weak Strongman: The Perilous Bargains That Keep Putin in Power by Timothy Frye in Foreign Affairs Follow Timothy Frye on Twitter @timothymfrye Related Content Kathryn Stoner on Russia's Economy, Politics, and Foreign Policy Freedom House: Sarah Repucci Assesses Freedom in the World More from the Podcast More Information Democracy Group Apes of the State created all Music Email the show at jkempf@democracyparadox.com Follow on Twitter @DemParadox Follow on Instagram @democracyparadoxpodcast 100 Books on Democracy Support the show

  • Aug 31, 2021 · 38 min

    Kathryn Stoner on Russia's Economy, Politics, and Foreign Policy

    Biden's current policy is, you know, we want Putin to calm down, be stable for awhile and turn our focus to restraining China. I don't think that's going to happen. That's not in his interest to do that. So, I think taking our eye off Russia, underestimating it, is the biggest concern for the U.S. currently. Kathryn Stoner A full transcript is available at www.democracyparadox.com or a brief primer on Russia here. Kathryn Stoner is a professor of political science at Stanford University. Her new book is Russia Resurrected: Its Power and Purpose in a New Global Order. Key Highlights Include A description of Russia's economy An account of Russia's military reforms Why Russia is in the Middle East Explanation of Russia's foreign policy Is a resurrected Russia a danger to the West? Key Links Russia Resurrected: Its Power and Purpose in a New Global Order by Kathryn Stoner The Freeman Spogli Institute For International Studies Follow Kathryn Stoner on Twitter @kath_stoner Related Content Timothy Frye Says Putin is a Weak Strongman Bryn Rosenfeld on Middle Class Support for Dictators in Autocratic Regimes More from the Podcast More Information Democracy Group Apes of the State created all Music Email the show at jkempf@democracyparadox.com Follow on Twitter @DemParadox Follow on Instagram @democracyparadoxpodcast 100 Books on Democracy Support the show

  • Aug 24, 2021 · 44 min

    Karen Greenberg on the War on Terror, Donald Trump, and American Democracy

    It was an era in which lawmakers and office holders learned that imprecision could actually work to their benefit to allow them to do what they wanted to because there was unclear codification in the law. And so yes, everybody talks about, we have to revise this law or get rid of this law or replace this law. But I want to say, it's not about that. It's about what constitutes a legitimately written, voted upon law. And I think that's something we still haven't countered since 9/11. Karen Greenberg A full transcript is available at www.democracyparadox.com or a brief primer on the War on Terror here. Karen Greenberg is the director of the Center on National Security at Fordham Law, a fellow at New America, and a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. Her new book is Subtle Tools: The Dismantling of American Democracy from the War on Terror to Donald Trump. Key Highlights Include The origin of the AUMF and the Department of Homeland Security Karen Greenberg describes the subtle tools The link between the War on Terror and President Trump How will history view the 2020 election Is the United States an illiberal democracy? Key Links Subtle Tools: The Dismantling of American Democracy from the War on Terror to Donald Trump by Karen Greenberg Vital Interests Podcast with Karen Greenberg Follow Karen Greenberg on Twitter @KarenGreenberg3 Related Content Charles Kupchan on America's Tradition of Isolationism Can America Preserve Democracy without Retreating from it? Robert C. Lieberman on the Four Threats More from the Podcast More Information Democracy Group Apes of the State created all Music Email the show at jkempf@democracyparadox.com Follow on Twitter @DemParadox Follow on Instagram @democracyparadoxpodcast 100 Books on Democracy Support the show

  • Aug 17, 2021 · 50 min

    Charles Kupchan on America's Tradition of Isolationism

    Beginning in the 1990s, and then really picking up after 9/11, the United States overreached ideologically by thinking it could turn Iraq and Afghanistan into Ohio. It overreached economically by throwing open the nation's doors and saying the more trade, the better. And suddenly, I think, Americans said to themselves and to their leaders, ‘Wait a minute. Too much world, not enough America.' Charles Kupchan A full transcript is available at www.democracyparadox.com or a brief primer on Isolationism here. Charles Kupchan is a professor of international relations at Georgetown University and a Senior Fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations. He is also the author of Isolationism: A History of America's Efforts to Shield Itself from the World. Key Highlights Include Isolationism's Place in America's National Identity The Relationship Between Isolationism and American Exceptionalism A Brief History of Isolationism in the United States Similarities Between the Rise of China and the Early United States Donald Trump and the Reemergence of Isolationism Key Links Isolationism: A History of America's Efforts to Shield Itself from the World by Charles Kupchan Learn more about Charles Kupchan "The Home Front: Why an Internationalist Foreign Policy Needs a Stronger Domestic Foundation" an article by Charles Kupchan in Foreign Affairs Related Content John Ikenberry on Liberal Internationalism Alexander Cooley and Daniel Nexon on the End of American Hegemony More from the Podcast More Information Democracy Group Apes of the State created all Music Email the show at jkempf@democracyparadox.com Follow on Twitter @DemParadox Follow on Instagram @democracyparadoxpodcast 100 Books on Democracy Support the show

  • Aug 10, 2021 · 44 min

    Aldo Madariaga on Neoliberalism, Democratic Deficits, and Chile

    It's not just inequality of wealth. It is not just inequality of income, which is big. It's also inequality in terms of the geographical clustering of different strata of the population, of different people. It's inequality in life experiences. It's inequality in treatment. People felt mistreated by those in the upper echelons of society. So, it's not just money. It's also access to public goods, to certain spaces in the city, to education, unemployment benefits, and all sorts of things. But also, treatment. Aldo Madariaga A full transcript is available at www.democracyparadox.com or a brief primer on Neoliberalism here. Aldo Madariaga is a Professor of Political Science at Universidad Diego Portales, and Associate Researcher at Center for Social Conflict and Cohesion Studies (COES). He is also the author of Neoliberal Resilience: Lessons in Democracy and Development from Latin America and Eastern Europe. Key Highlights Include An Account of the Chilean Protests in 2019 Description of Neoliberalism as a Political Project The Role of the State in Neoliberalism How does Neoliberalism Shield its Policies from Democracy Are Neoliberal Policies Fundamentally Undemocratic? Key Links Neoliberal Resilience: Lessons in Democracy and Development from Latin America and Eastern Europe by Aldo Madariaga Learn more about Aldo Madariaga Follow on Twitter @AldoMadariaga Related Content James Loxton Explains Why Authoritarian Successor Parties Succeed in Democracies Jacob Hacker and Paul Pierson on the Plutocratic Populism of the Republican Party More from the Podcast More Information Democracy Group Apes of the State created all Music Email the show at jkempf@democracyparadox.com Follow on Twitter @DemParadox Follow on Instagram @democracyparadoxpodcast 100 Books on Democracy Support the show

  • Aug 3, 2021 · 47 min

    Roger Lee Huang on Myanmar, Aung San Suu Kyi, and the Tatmadaw

    I think this actually reflects why we've seen a coup now. Clearly, the coup has really brought serious economic devastation for the entire country and the military itself will also not benefit from this. And that to me is the key, because they're not primarily motivated just by economic incentives and spoils. As a systematic military institution, it is driven by their own identity. Their own perception of what the Myanmar modern nation state should look like. Roger Lee Huang A full transcript is available at www.democracyparadox.com or a brief primer on Myanmar here. Roger Lee Huang is a lecturer in terrorism studies and political violence at Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia and the author of The Paradox of Myanmar’s Regime Change. Key Highlights Include A brief history of modern Myanmar (Burma) Description of the Tatmadaw A portrait of Aung San Suu Kyi Why is the National League for Democracy (NLD) so popular What are the prospects for democracy in Myanmar Key Links The Paradox of Myanmar's Regime Change by Roger Lee Huang Myanmar’s Way to Genocide: The Rohingya Crisis in a Disciplined Democracy - Video Lecture by Roger Lee Huang "The Generals Strike Back" by Zoltan Barany from Journal of Democracy Related Content Michael Miller on the Unexpected Paths to Democratization Sebastian Strangio Explains the Relationship Between China and Southeast Asia More from the Podcast Myanmar: A Podcast Primer More Information Democracy Group Apes of the State created all Music Email the show at democracyparadoxblog@gmail.com Follow me on Twitter @DemParadox 100 Books on Democracy Support the show

  • Jul 27, 2021 · 50 min

    Mallory SoRelle on the Politics of Consumer Credit

    Americans are expected to take on debt, because that's how we're expected to finance everything from basic needs to a college education. And that's a function of economic policy making. That doesn't happen by accident. Mallory SoRelle A full transcript is available at www.democracyparadox.com. Mallory SoRelle is an assistant professor of public policy at Duke University and the author of Democracy Declined: The Failed Politics of Consumer Financial Protection. Key Highlights Include How the American economy depends on credit A brief history of consumer credit in America Details why consumer debt is a systemic problem Why financial consumers do not politically mobilize Explains how public policy shapes political behavior Key Links Democracy Declined: The Failed Politics of Consumer Financial Protection by Mallory SoRelle Learn more about Mallory SoRelle Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Related Content Sheryl WuDunn Paints a Picture of Poverty in America and Offers Hope for Solutions Jacob Hacker and Paul Pierson on the Plutocratic Populism of the Republican Party More from the Podcast More Information Democracy Group Apes of the State created all Music Email the show at democracyparadoxblog@gmail.com Follow me on Twitter @DemParadox 100 Books on Democracy Support the show

  • Jul 20, 2021 · 45 min

    David Stasavage on Early Democracy and its Decline

    This was not a phenomenon to one specific region. This was nothing that got invented in one place and at one time. It seems to have emerged independently in a wide, wide variety of human societies at different points in time. And to me, that sounds like something that occurs naturally. David Stasavage A full transcript is available at www.democracyparadox.com. David Stasavage is the Dean of Social Sciences and a Professor of Politics at New York University. His latest book is called The Decline and Rise of Democracy. Key Highlights Include A description of early democracy with an example of the Huron people Why autocracy arose through the example of Ancient China How bureaucracy and the state changed governance How English history shaped modern democracy What modern democracy can learn from early forms of democracy Key Links The Decline and Rise of Democracy by David Stasavage Learn more about David Stasavage Follow David on Twitter @stasavage Related Content Daniel Carpenter Revisits the Petition in 19th Century America Michael Hughes on the History of Democracy in Germany More from the Podcast More Information Democracy Group Apes of the State created all Music Email the show at democracyparadoxblog@gmail.com Follow me on Twitter @DemParadox 100 Books on Democracy Support the show

  • Jul 13, 2021 · 49 min

    Christophe Jaffrelot on Narendra Modi and Hindu Nationalism

    The police is even acting directly against the minorities and the Delhi riots of 2020 showed that the police could be on their side in the street in their rioting activities. This is exactly the same in other BGP ruled states like Uttar Pradesh. Now you have indeed a kind of new shift, if you want. It's not only with the blessing of the state. It’s also with the active participation of the state. Christophe Jaffrelot A full transcript is available at www.democracyparadox.com. Christophe Jaffrelot is a director of research at Sciences Po and a professor of Indian politics and sociology at King’s College. His latest book is Modi's India: Hindu Nationalism and the Rise of Ethnic Democracy. Key Highlights Include Description of Hindutva or Hindu Nationalism A brief account of the RSS An account of the Ayodhya Temple Controversy Explains how Narendra Modi came to power Prospects for the future of Indian democracy Key Links Modi's India: Hindu Nationalism and the Rise of Ethnic Democracy by Christophe Jaffrelot "Toward a Hindu State" by Christophe Jaffrelot in the Journal of Democracy Follow Christophe on Twitter @jaffrelotc Related Content Freedom House: Sarah Repucci Assesses Freedom in the World Kajri Jain Believes Democracy Unfolds through the Aesthetic More from the Podcast More Information Democracy Group Apes of the State created all Music Email the show at democracyparadoxblog@gmail.com Follow me on Twitter @DemParadox 100 Books on Democracy Support the show

  • Jul 6, 2021 · 48 min

    Jan-Werner Müller on Democracy Rules

    It really matters how you set up conflict and how you talk about the issue and above all how you talk about your adversary. That's where I see the decisive difference between those who tend to invoke the people, the common good and et cetera, in a way that is compatible with democracy and then those who talk in a way that, ultimately, is bound to be dangerous for democracy. Jan-Werner Müller A full transcript is available at www.democracyparadox.com. Jan is a professor of Social Sciences at Princeton University. He is the author of the books What is Populism? and Democracy Rules. Key Highlights Include What does it mean to be undemocratic in a democracy Why populism threatens democracy Role of conflict in democracy What is militant democracy and is it democratic Role of the majority and opposition in democracy Key Links Democracy Rules by Jan-Werner Müller What is Populism? by Jan-Werner Müller "False Flags" from Foreign Affairs by Jan-Werner Müller Related Content Chris Bickerton Defines Technopopulism Zizi Papacharissi Dreams of What Comes After Democracy More from the Podcast More Information Democracy Group Apes of the State created all Music Email the show at democracyparadoxblog@gmail.com Follow me on Twitter @DemParadox 100 Books on Democracy Support the show

  • Jun 29, 2021 · 50 min

    Dorothy Sue Cobble on the Full Rights Feminists

    They wanted the full array of rights. Political rights, yes, they were active in the suffrage movement, but they also wanted economic rights and social rights. They wanted to lessen inequalities. They also wanted the rights of mothers and of children advanced. Dorothy Sue Cobble A full transcript is available at www.democracyparadox.com. Dorothy Sue Cobble is the Distinguished Professor of History and Labor Studies Emerita at Rutgers University and the author of For the Many: American Feminists and the Global Fight for Democratic Equality. Key Highlights Include Dorothy explains who the full rights feminists were and what they advocated for Profiles of full rights feminists like Frances Perkins How full rights feminism influenced the New Deal A brief history of the conflicts between full rights feminists and equal rights feminists over the Equal Rights Amendment A profile of early Japanese feminist Tanaka Taka Key Links For the Many: American Feminists and the Global Fight for Democratic Equality by Dorothy Sue Cobble Visit Dorothy at www.dorothysuecobble.com Learn about the Triangle Shirtwaist Workers Strike Related Content Derek W. Black Says Public Education Represents the Idea of America... Not its Reality Barbara Freese on Corporate Denial More from the Podcast More Information Democracy Group Apes of the State created all Music Email the show at democracyparadoxblog@gmail.com Follow me on Twitter @DemParadox 100 Books on Democracy Support the show