Send us Fan Mail

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

Support the show