Ruth Ben-Ghiat on Threats to Democracy and H.L. Mencken’s "Notes on Democracy"

Dec 9, 2023

Ruth Ben-Ghiat, NYU Professor and political commentator, discusses threats to democracy posed by populism, media's role in shaping political views, historical precedents of strongmen, and what is missing from today's political landscape.

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Introduction

00:00 • 3min

The Misunderstanding of Freedom and the Appeal of Strongmen

02:46 • 10min

The Power of Spectacle in Politics and the Rise of Positive Stars

12:57 • 3min

Challenges in Countering Authoritarianism and Emotional Re-Education

15:34 • 15min

Voting, Civic Culture, and Authoritarian Tactics

30:47 • 6min

Conveying Complex Ideas in a Polarized Society

36:59 • 13min

The Influence of Social Media on News Consumption

49:31 • 5min

A century ago, journalist H. L. Mencken provocatively stated in Notes On Democracy (new edition by Warbler Press, 2023) that anti-democratic behavior is not only not shocking but that we should in fact expect democracies to give rise to un- and even anti-democratic forces. Mencken doubted that such the evils of democracy will be cured by more democracy, which usually means elections and ‘fostering democratic norms and behaviors. So what is to be done?

I spoke with NYU Professor and political commentator Ruth Ben-Ghiat on the current threats to democracy posed by populism, the media’s role in shaping political views, what historical precedents of strongmen can teach us about today’s threats to democracy, and what is crucially missing from today’s political landscape.

Find the texts:

Strongmen: Mussolini to the Present (Norton, 2021) by Ruth Ben-Ghiat

Notes On Democracy (1926) by H. L. Mencken

Ruth Ben-Ghiat is a distinguished expert in the history of fascism and is appointed at NYU as Professor of History and Italian. A leading authority on the contemporary challenges facing democracies globally, she frequently provides insights as a commentator for various news networks and contributes as an MSNBC opinion columnist. In her newsletter, Lucid, she delves into the critical issues threatening democracy. Her work has been recognized with Guggenheim, NEH, Fulbright and other fellowships. Her latest book, Strongmen: Mussolini to the Present explores the regimes and rise to power of authoritarian leaders, while proposing strategies for their defeat. Follow her here: Twitter @RuthBenGhiat; Instagram @RuthBenGhiat.

Ulrich Baer teaches literature and photography as University Professor at New York University. A recipient of Guggenheim, Getty and Humboldt awards, in addition to hosting "Think About It” he hosts (with Caroline Weber) the podcast "The Proust Questionnaire” and is Editorial Director at Warbler Press. Email ucb1@nyu.edu; Twitter @UliBaer; IG: @thinkaboutit.podcast

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