Democracy Paradox

The world can't wait for us to counter Russian and Chinese disinformation, support democratic struggles abroad, help to stabilize and improve democratic institutions, forge partnerships between our democratic organizations and actors and parties and theirs, and otherwise promote democracy around the world. The world can't wait for us to do that.

Larry Diamond

Become a Patron!

Make a one-time Donation to Democracy Paradox.

A full transcript is available at www.democracyparadox.com.

Larry Diamond is widely considered the leading scholar of democracy. He is a professor at Stanford University and a Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution. He was a co-founder of the Journal of Democracy with Marc Plattner in 1990. His influence on the thought and practice of democracy is incalculable. His recent article in Foreign Affairs is titled "All Democracy is Global."

Key Highlights

• Introduction - 0:49
• Importance of Democracy - 2:34
• Strategies to Promote Democracy - 11:30
• American Policies - 19:59
• Using Democracy's Strengths - 30:32

Key Links

Ill Winds: Saving Democracy from Russian Rage, Chinese Ambition, and American Complacency by Larry Diamond

Follow Larry Diamond on Twitter @LarryDiamond

Check out Larry Diamond's Greatest Hits at the Journal of Democracy

"All Democracy is Global" by Larry Diamond

Democracy Paradox Podcast

Michael McFaul and Robert Person on Putin, Russia, and the War in Ukraine

Moisés Naím on the New Dynamics of Political Power

More Episodes from the Podcast

More Information

Democracy Group

Apes of the State created all Music

Email the show at [email protected]

Follow on Twitter @DemParadox, Facebook, Instagram @democracyparadoxpodcast

100 Books on Democracy

Democracy Paradox is part of the Amazon Affiliates Program and earns commissions on items purchased from links to the Amazon website. All links are to recommended books discussed in the podcast or referenced in the blog.

Support the show

The people who win get to enact policy and they get to change the world we live in. But we're at this moment where the candidates who lose, if they think that they don't have to abide by election outcomes, that's very important and that affects the kind of world we live in.

Lynn Vavreck

Become a Patron!

Make a one-time Donation to Democracy Paradox.

A full transcript is available at www.democracyparadox.com.

Order The Bitter End: The 2020 Presidential Campaign and the Challenge to American Democracy by Chris Tausanovitch, John Sides, and Lynn Vavreck

Lynn Vavreck is the Marvin Hoffenberg Professor of American Politics and Public Policy at UCLA. She’s a contributor for The Upshot at The New York Times. She recently coauthored (with John Sides and Chris Tausanovitch) The Bitter End: The 2020 Presidential Campaign and the Challenge to American Democracy.

Key Highlights

• Introduction - 0:39
• Lessons from 2016 - 3:05
• Political Calcification - 14:31
• Why Did the Democrats Nominate Joe Biden? - 18:51
• Forecasting the 2020 Election - 25:52
• Implications for American Democracy - 29:39

Key Links

Follow Lynn Vavreck on Twitter @vavreck

Learn more about Lynn Vavreck

Democracy Paradox Podcast

Robert Lieberman, Kenneth Roberts, and David Bateman on Democratic Resilience and Political Polarization in the United States

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

More Episodes from the Podcast

More Information

Democracy Group

Apes of the State created all Music

Email the show at [email protected]

Follow on Twitter @DemParadox, Facebook, Instagram @democracyparadoxpodcast

100 Books on Democracy

Democracy Paradox is part of the Amazon Affiliates Program and earns commissions on items purchased from links to the Amazon website. All links are to recommended books discussed in the podcast or referenced in the blog.

Support the show

In country after country - we've counted over 130 news outlets of 30 countries that were republishing content that was produced by Chinese state media outlets or the Chinese embassy. So, these state media outlets are actually formally under the control of the Communist Party's propaganda department.

Support Democracy Paradox on Patreon for bonus episodes, ad free episodes and exclusive updates and information.

Make a one-time Donation to Democracy Paradox.

A full transcript is available at www.democracyparadox.com.

Sarah Cook is the Research Director for China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan at Freedom House. She also directs their China Media Bulletin and authored the executive summary of this latest report, "Beijing's Global Media Influence 2022: Authoritarian Expansion and the Power of Democratic Resilience."

Key Highlights

• Introduction - 0:38
• China and its Media Influence - 2:58
• Chinese Influence Tactics - 12:48
• The Effectiveness of Chinese Influence - 18:30
• Resiliency of Democracies - 27:47

Key Links

Read the report "Beijing's Global Media Influence 2022: Authoritarian Expansion and the Power of Democratic Resilience"

Follow Sarah Cook on Twitter @Sarah_G_Cook

Follow Freedom House on Twitter @freedomhouse

Democracy Paradox Podcast

Aynne Kokas on the Intersection Between Surveillance Capitalism and Chinese Sharp Power (or How Much Does the CCP Already Know About You?)

Sarah Repucci from Freedom House with an Update on Freedom in the World

More Episodes from the Podcast

More Information

Democracy Group

Apes of the State created all Music

Email the show at [email protected]

Follow on Twitter @DemParadox, Facebook, Instagram @democracyparadoxpodcast

100 Books on Democracy

Support the show

Back then as a child, when it was normal that we couldn't ride on all buses and sit on all park benches and be allowed to go and watch a movie in a cinema together. Today, our children simply don't know that we had those experiences. But in it lies the wonders of the successes of what we have achieved. And if we managed to change that, then I think we have the ability to change from where we are currently into the future.

Hassen Ebrahim

Support Democracy Paradox on Patreon for bonus episodes, ad free episodes and exclusive updates and information. 

Preorder the new book Constitution Makers on Constitution Making: New Cases here. 

Make a one-time Donation to Democracy Paradox.

A full transcript is available at www.democracyparadox.com.

Hassen Ebrahim was Executive Director of the Constitutional Assembly of South Africa, and is an advisor on constitution building. He participated in the construction of South Africa's constitution. He is the author of the chapter "Decisions, Deadlocks and Deadlines in Making South Africa’s Constitution" in the forthcoming book Constitution Makers on Constitution Making.

Key Highlights

• Introduction - 0:50
• Meaning of a Constitution - 2:54
• Hassen's Political Journey - 10:07
• Constitutional Process - 20:22
• Unifying Event - 29:15
• Areas of Disagreement - 36:48
• Future of South Africa's Democracy - 46:18

Key Links

Read the Constitution of South Africa

Constitution Makers on Constitution Making: New Cases edited by Tom Ginsburg and Sumit Bisarya

Democracy Paradox Podcast

Joseph Fishkin on the Constitution, American History, and Economic Inequality

Donald Horowitz on the Formation of Democratic Constitutions

More Episodes from the Podcast

More Information

Democracy Group

Apes of the State created all Music

Email the show at [email protected]

Follow on Twitter @DemParadox

100 Books on Democracy

Support the show

Back then as a child, when it was normal that we couldn't ride on all buses and sit on all park benches and be allowed to go and watch a movie in a cinema together. Today, our children simply don't know that we had those experiences. But in it lies the wonders of the successes of what we have achieved. And if we managed to change that, then I think we have the ability to change from where we are currently into the future.

Hassen Ebrahim

Support Democracy Paradox on Patreon for bonus episodes, ad free episodes and exclusive updates and information. 

Preorder the new book Constitution Makers on Constitution Making: New Cases here. 

Make a one-time Donation to Democracy Paradox.

A full transcript is available at www.democracyparadox.com.

Hassen Ebrahim was Executive Director of the Constitutional Assembly of South Africa, and is an advisor on constitution building. He participated in the construction of South Africa's constitution. He is the author of the chapter "Decisions, Deadlocks and Deadlines in Making South Africa’s Constitution" in the forthcoming book Constitution Makers on Constitution Making.

Key Highlights

• Introduction - 0:50
• Meaning of a Constitution - 2:54
• Hassen's Political Journey - 10:07
• Constitutional Process - 20:22
• Unifying Event - 29:15
• Areas of Disagreement - 36:48
• Future of South Africa's Democracy - 46:18

Key Links

Read the Constitution of South Africa

Constitution Makers on Constitution Making: New Cases edited by Tom Ginsburg and Sumit Bisarya

Democracy Paradox Podcast

Joseph Fishkin on the Constitution, American History, and Economic Inequality

Donald Horowitz on the Formation of Democratic Constitutions

More Episodes from the Podcast

More Information

Democracy Group

Apes of the State created all Music

Email the show at [email protected]

Follow on Twitter @DemParadox

100 Books on Democracy

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Politics requires complex and ongoing engagement by all of us. There are lots of elements that hang together. The Brexit process has really highlighted that whatever we decide to do that has knock-on consequences and those knock-on consequences have knock-on consequences of their own which might come back and affect our original decision. Everything is connected and we are never going to have something that's going to make everybody happy.

Simon Usherwood

Support Democracy Paradox on Patreon for bonus episodes, ad free episodes and exclusive updates and information.

Order The Nested Games of Brexit here. 

Make a one-time Donation to Democracy Paradox.

A full transcript is available at www.democracyparadox.com.

Simon Usherwood is a Professor of Politics & International Studies at the Open University, Visiting Research Fellow at the University of Surrey's Centre for Britain & Europe and a National Teaching Fellow. Simon coauthored (along with John Pindar) The European Union: A Very Short Introduction. He recently coedited (along with Agnès Alexandre-Collier and Pauline Schnapper) The Nested Games of Brexit.

Key Highlights

• Introduction - 0:48
• The Rise of Boris Johnson - 3:44
• Why Boris Johnson Resigned - 16:40
• What are Nested Games - 23:48
• Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak - 31:55
• What Have we Learned about Democracy? 40:23

 Key Links

European Union: A Very Short Introduction (Very Short Introductions) by John Pindar and Simon Usherwood

Learn more about Simon Usherwood

Follow Simon Usherwood on Twitter @Usherwood

Democracy Paradox Podcast

Amory Gethin on Political Cleavages, Inequality, and Party Systems in 50 Democracies

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

More Episodes from the Podcast

More Information

Democracy Group

Apes of the State created all Music

Email the show at [email protected]

Follow on Twitter @DemParadox, Facebook, Instagram @democracyparadoxpodcast

100 Books on Democracy

Support the show

People like Lenin, Stalin, Mao, they basically lashed out at the entire capitalist world and that lashing out created a counterrevolutionary armed struggle, which in turn contributed to their durability. So, it's that reckless behavior in creating enemies that ultimately led to their creating very strong authoritarian institutions.

Lucan Way

Support Democracy Paradox on Patreon for bonus episodes, ad free episodes and exclusive updates and information. 

Preorder Steven Levitsky and Lucan Way's new book Revolution and Dictatorship: The Violent Origins of Durable Authoritarianism here. 

A full transcript is available at www.democracyparadox.com.

Lucan Way is a professor of political science at the University of Toronto and Co-Director of the Petro Jacyk Program for the Study of Ukraine. Steven Levitsky is the David Rockefeller Professor of Latin American Studies, professor of government, and director of the David Rockefeller Center for Latin American Studies at Harvard University. They are also co-chairs of the editorial board at the Journal of Democracy. They are the authors of the forthcoming book Revolution and Dictatorship: The Violent Origins of Durable Authoritarianism.

Key Highlights

• Introduction - 0:45
• How Recklessness Leads to Authoritarian Durability - 3:17
• Why Revolutions Abandon Pluralism - 16:53
• Revolutions and Institution Building - 22:05
• Why does Durable Authoritarianism Fail - 29:31
• Is the Era of Revolutions Over - 38:01

Key Links

Revolution and Dictatorship: The Violent Origins of Durable Authoritarianism by Steven Levitsky and Lucan Way

Competitive Authoritarianism: Hybrid Regimes after the Cold War by Steven Levitsky and Lucan Way

"The Durability of Revolutionary Regimes" by Steven Levitsky and Lucan Way in the Journal of Democracy

Democracy Paradox Podcast

Lucan Way on Ukraine. Democracy in Hard Places.

Mark Beissinger on Urban Civic Revolutions

More Episodes from the Podcast

More Information

Democracy Group

Apes of the State created all Music

Email the show at [email protected] 

Follow on Twitter @DemParadox, Facebook, Instagram @democracyparadoxpodcast

100 Books on Democracy

Support the show

There's always another set of elections. So, let's set up for elections. Let's figure out how to mobilize people. Let's figure out how to engage them and answer the question, ‘Why they elected this person? What did we miss? What do we need to build? Which kind of program.’ I think using the streets is great, but definitely you need training… A lot of training.This is a long-term effort. It's not about calling you on Facebook for a demonstration and that's it.

Laura Gamboa

Support Democracy Paradox on Patreon for bonus episodes, ad free episodes and exclusive updates and information. 

Preorder Laura Gamboa's new book Resisting Backsliding: Opposition Strategies against the Erosion of Democracy here. 

A full transcript is available at www.democracyparadox.com.

Laura Gamboa is an Assistant Professor of Political Science at the University of Utah. She is the author of the forthcoming book Resisting Backsliding: Opposition Strategies against the Erosion of Democracy.

Key Highlights

• Introduction - 0:47
• Uribe was a Threat to Democracy - 3:11
• Opposition Strategies in Colombia - 14:20
• Opposition Strategies in Venezuela - 17:53
• How Often do Aspiring Autocrats Get Elected - 27:03
• Final Advice for Democratic Oppositions - 34:02

Key Links

Learn more about Laura Gamboa

"The Peace Process and Colombia’s Elections" by Laura Gambia in the Journal of Democracy

Resisting Backsliding: Opposition Strategies against the Erosion of Democracy by Laura Gamboa

Democracy Paradox Podcast

Kim Lane Scheppele on Hungary, Viktor Orbán, and its Democratic Decline

Caitlin Andrews-Lee on Charismatic Movements and Personalistic Leaders

More Episodes from the Podcast

More Information

Democracy Group

Apes of the State created all Music

Email the show at [email protected]

Follow on Twitter @DemParadox

100 Books on Democracy

Support the show

So, I came back from that trip and said to one of my good friends back in Budapest, ‘I think I've met the most dangerous person I've ever met personally.’ And she said, ‘Oh Viktor, he's nothing. He's like a kid. He's in his thirties.’ I mean, he was an aspiring politician at this point. His party was at the bottom of the polls. It didn't look like he had any future. And I said, ‘No, this guy has something. It's hard to define what it is, but we're going to be hearing from him.’

Kim Lane Scheppele

Support Democracy Paradox on Patreon for bonus episodes, ad free episodes and exclusive updates and information. 

A full transcript is available at www.democracyparadox.com.

Kim Lane Scheppele is the Laurance S. Rockefeller Professor of Sociology and International Affairs and the University Center for Human Values at Princeton University.

Key Highlights

• Introduction - 0:50
• Kim Lane Scheppele meets Viktor Orbán - 2:45
• Viktor Orbán as Prime Minister 1998-2002 - 9:21
• Hungary Changes its Constitution 15:56
• Orbán Undermines Democracy Legally - 26:32
• Why do Voters Support Orbán and Fidesz - 41:48

Key Links

Learn more about Kim Lane Scheppele

"How Viktor Orbán Wins" by Kim Lane Scheppele in the Journal of Democracy

9/11 and the Rise of Global Anti-Terrorism Law: How the UN Security Council Rules the World edited by Kim Lane Scheppele and Arianna Vedaschi

Democracy Paradox Podcast

Moisés Naím on the New Dynamics of Political Power

Stephan Haggard and Robert Kaufman on Democratic Backsliding

More Episodes from the Podcast

More Information

Democracy Group

Apes of the State created all Music

Email the show at [email protected] 

Follow on Twitter @DemParadox

100 Books on Democracy

Support the show

There were lots of opportunities for a certain part of Ukrainian society to encounter Zelenskyy and to feel that they knew him. He was not an unknown quantity when he ran for president. So, I think that's important for us to keep in mind. I would say the so-called Western World is still discovering who he is, but his loyalty, his integrity, his ideas or his group's ideas about Ukrainian political nationhood have been in the works for a long time.

Jessica Pisano

Support Democracy Paradox on Patreon for bonus episodes and exclusive updates and information.

A full transcript is available at www.democracyparadox.com.

Jessica Pisano is Associate Professor in the Department of Politics at the New School for Social Research. She is the author of "How Zelensky Changed Ukraine" in the Journal of Democracy and Staging Democracy: Political Performance in Ukraine, Russia, and Beyond.

Key Highlights

• Introduction - 0:49
• Early Career of Zelenskyy - 2:58
• What is Political Theater? - 10:30
• Zelenskyy Changes Politics in Ukraine - 17:26
• Zelenskyy as President - 22:43
• Future of Ukraine - 30:41

Key Links

Learn more about Jessica Pisano

"How Zelensky Changed Ukraine" by Jessica Pisano in the Journal of Democracy

Staging Democracy: Political Performance in Ukraine, Russia, and Beyond by Jessica Pisano

Democracy Paradox Podcast

Michael McFaul and Robert Person on Putin, Russia, and the War in Ukraine

Lucan Way on Ukraine. Democracy in Hard Places.

More Episodes from the Podcast

More Information

Democracy Group

Apes of the State created all Music

Email the show at [email protected]

Follow on Twitter @DemParadox

100 Books on Democracy

Support the show