Political polarization and disinformation may seem to be on the rise in the United States, but these tactics are not new. As historian Heather Cox Richardson notes, political candidates in early U.S. history would game elections by saying that their opponent was dead.

Are there reasons to be hopeful about democracy? Boston College Professor Heather Cox Richardson joins Ravi Agrawal to discuss her new book, Democracy Awakening: Notes on the State of America.

Suggested reading:

Heather Cox Richardson: How the U.S. Created Its Own Reality

Heather Cox Richardson: Democracy Awakening: Notes on the State of America

Hélène Landemore: More Power to More People

FP Contributors: 10 Ideas to Fix Democracy

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