Democracy Paradox

The Internet's a battle space. I think this year unfortunately we've seen that more than ever with Russia's brazen invasion of Ukraine about how the internet and digital platforms are used to pursue authoritarian ends or to promote democracy and freedom and help people stay safe during armed conflict.Allie FunkBecome a Patron!Make a one-time Donation to Democracy Paradox.A full transcript is available at www.democracyparadox.com.Allie Funk is the Research Director for Technology and Democracy at Freedom House. She was deeply involved in this year's Freedom on the Net report and coauthored the executive summary "Countering an Authoritarian Overhaul of the Internet" along with Adrian Shahbaz and Kian Vesteinsson.Key HighlightsIntroduction - 0:42The Importance of Internet Freedom - 2:42Where Internet Freedom Improved - 6:34Internet Freedom in the China - 18:25Internet Freedom as Transnational - 25:11Key LinksFreedom on the Net 2022: Countering an Authoritarian Overhaul of the Internet by Adrian Shahbaz, Allie Funk, and Kian VesteinssonLearn more about Allie FunkFollow Allie Funk on Twitter @alfunkDemocracy Paradox PodcastSarah Cook on China’s Expanding Global Media InfluenceSarah Repucci from Freedom House with an Update on Freedom in the WorldMore Episodes from the PodcastMore InformationDemocracy GroupApes of the State created all MusicEmail the show at jkempf@democracyparadox.comFollow on Twitter @DemParadox, Facebook, Instagram @democracyparadoxpodcast100 Books on DemocracyDemocracy 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

Our democracy is an evolving machine. The machine was built by a small group of people who were all men and looked the same. Over time the strength of American society is that it has grown and become more diverse and become very different. Our democracy has in an inefficient, episodic way been able to adjust and been able to at least account for some of that. But it hasn't done that in about a generation, and it's long time we do that.Jeremi SuriBecome a Patron!Make a one-time Donation to Democracy Paradox.Order Civil War By Other Means: America’s Long and Unfinished Fight for Democracy by Jeremi SuriA full transcript is available at www.democracyparadox.com.Jeremi Suri is the Mack Brown Distinguished Chair for Leadership in Global Affairs at the University of Texas at Austin. He cohosts the podcast This is Democracy with his son Zachary. His latest book is Civil War By Other Means: America’s Long and Unfinished Fight for Democracy.Key HighlightsIntroduction - 0:50Reconstruction and American Democracy - 3:21Contradictions in American Reconstruction - 15:25How Reconstruction Era Issues Shape Democracy Today - 23:25Democracy and Political Reform - 32:18Key LinksThis is Democracy a podcast from Jeremi and Zachary SuriFollow Jeremi Suri on Twitter @JeremiSuriDemocracy Paradox PodcastLynn Vavreck on the 2020 Election and the Challenge to American DemocracyCan America Preserve Democracy without Retreating from it? Robert C. Lieberman on the Four ThreatsMore Episodes from the PodcastMore InformationDemocracy GroupApes of the State created all MusicEmail the show at jkempf@democracyparadox.comFollow on Twitter @DemParadox, Facebook, Instagram @democracyparadoxpodcast100 Books on DemocracyDemocracy 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

This is a party absolutely determined to maintain a monopoly of power and absolutely determined to crush any attempt by any group to suggest that there ought to be anything like separation of powers. No labor unions. No civil society. No freedom of press. No judicial independence. The mere suggestion of it seems to be so offensive that people end up in jail and that’s a constant theme that runs throughout this entire period.Frank DikötterBecome a Patron!Make a one-time Donation to Democracy Paradox.Order China After Mao: The Rise of a Superpower by Frank Dikötter (Available in the UK now. Available in the US November 15th, 2022.)A full transcript is available at www.democracyparadox.com.Frank Dikötter is the author of three books about China under Mao called the People’s Trilogy. He is currently the Chair Professor of Humanities at the University of Hong Kong. His latest book is China After Mao: The Rise of a Superpower.Key HighlightsIntroduction - 0:52Life in China After Mao - 3:06How much did China Reform After Mao - 13:20What do the Chinese People Want from Reform - 25:38Is Political Reform Necessary for Deeper Economic Reforms - 29:33Why is China's Reform Overstated - 36:18Key LinksLearn more about Frank Dikötter at WikipediaThe People's Trilogy by Frank DikötterDemocracy Paradox PodcastSarah Cook on China’s Expanding Global Media InfluenceSteven Levitsky and Lucan Way on the Durable Authoritarianism of Revolutionary RegimesMore Episodes from the PodcastMore InformationDemocracy GroupApes of the State created all MusicEmail the show at jkempf@democracyparadox.comFollow on Twitter @DemParadox, Facebook, Instagram @democracyparadoxpodcast100 Books on DemocracyDemocracy 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 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 DiamondBecome 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 HighlightsIntroduction - 0:49Importance of Democracy - 2:34Strategies to Promote Democracy - 11:30American Policies - 19:59Using Democracy's Strengths - 30:32Key LinksIll Winds: Saving Democracy from Russian Rage, Chinese Ambition, and American Complacency by Larry DiamondFollow Larry Diamond on Twitter @LarryDiamondCheck out Larry Diamond's Greatest Hits at the Journal of Democracy"All Democracy is Global" by Larry DiamondDemocracy Paradox PodcastMichael McFaul and Robert Person on Putin, Russia, and the War in UkraineMoisés Naím on the New Dynamics of Political PowerMore Episodes from the PodcastMore InformationDemocracy GroupApes of the State created all MusicEmail the show at jkempf@democracyparadox.comFollow on Twitter @DemParadox, Facebook, Instagram @democracyparadoxpodcast100 Books on DemocracyDemocracy 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 VavreckBecome 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 VavreckLynn 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 HighlightsIntroduction - 0:39Lessons from 2016 - 3:05Political Calcification - 14:31Why Did the Democrats Nominate Joe Biden? - 18:51Forecasting the 2020 Election - 25:52Implications for American Democracy - 29:39Key LinksFollow Lynn Vavreck on Twitter @vavreckLearn more about Lynn VavreckDemocracy Paradox PodcastRobert Lieberman, Kenneth Roberts, and David Bateman on Democratic Resilience and Political Polarization in the United StatesKaren Greenberg on the War on Terror, Donald Trump, and American DemocracyMore Episodes from the PodcastMore InformationDemocracy GroupApes of the State created all MusicEmail the show at jkempf@democracyparadox.comFollow on Twitter @DemParadox, Facebook, Instagram @democracyparadoxpodcast100 Books on DemocracyDemocracy 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 HighlightsIntroduction - 0:38China and its Media Influence - 2:58Chinese Influence Tactics - 12:48The Effectiveness of Chinese Influence - 18:30Resiliency of Democracies - 27:47Key LinksRead the report "Beijing's Global Media Influence 2022: Authoritarian Expansion and the Power of Democratic Resilience"Follow Sarah Cook on Twitter @Sarah_G_CookFollow Freedom House on Twitter @freedomhouseDemocracy Paradox PodcastAynne 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 WorldMore Episodes from the PodcastMore InformationDemocracy GroupApes of the State created all MusicEmail the show at jkempf@democracyparadox.comFollow on Twitter @DemParadox, Facebook, Instagram @democracyparadoxpodcast100 Books on DemocracySupport 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 EbrahimSupport 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 HighlightsIntroduction - 0:50Meaning of a Constitution - 2:54Hassen's Political Journey - 10:07Constitutional Process - 20:22Unifying Event - 29:15Areas of Disagreement - 36:48Future of South Africa's Democracy - 46:18Key LinksRead the Constitution of South AfricaConstitution Makers on Constitution Making: New Cases edited by Tom Ginsburg and Sumit BisaryaDemocracy Paradox PodcastJoseph Fishkin on the Constitution, American History, and Economic InequalityDonald Horowitz on the Formation of Democratic ConstitutionsMore Episodes from the PodcastMore InformationDemocracy GroupApes of the State created all MusicEmail the show at jkempf@democracyparadox.comFollow on Twitter @DemParadox100 Books on DemocracySupport the show

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 UsherwoodSupport 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 HighlightsIntroduction - 0:48The Rise of Boris Johnson - 3:44Why Boris Johnson Resigned - 16:40What are Nested Games - 23:48Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak - 31:55What Have we Learned about Democracy? 40:23 Key LinksEuropean Union: A Very Short Introduction (Very Short Introductions) by John Pindar and Simon UsherwoodLearn more about Simon UsherwoodFollow Simon Usherwood on Twitter @UsherwoodDemocracy Paradox PodcastAmory Gethin on Political Cleavages, Inequality, and Party Systems in 50 DemocraciesSusan Rose-Ackerman on the Role of the Executive in Four Different DemocraciesMore Episodes from the PodcastMore InformationDemocracy GroupApes of the State created all MusicEmail the show at jkempf@democracyparadox.comFollow on Twitter @DemParadox, Facebook, Instagram @democracyparadoxpodcast100 Books on DemocracySupport 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 WaySupport 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 HighlightsIntroduction - 0:45How Recklessness Leads to Authoritarian Durability - 3:17Why Revolutions Abandon Pluralism - 16:53Revolutions and Institution Building - 22:05Why does Durable Authoritarianism Fail - 29:31Is the Era of Revolutions Over - 38:01Key LinksRevolution and Dictatorship: The Violent Origins of Durable Authoritarianism by Steven Levitsky and Lucan WayCompetitive 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 DemocracyDemocracy Paradox PodcastLucan Way on Ukraine. Democracy in Hard Places.Mark Beissinger on Urban Civic RevolutionsMore Episodes from the PodcastMore InformationDemocracy GroupApes of the State created all MusicEmail the show at jkempf@democracyparadox.com Follow on Twitter @DemParadox, Facebook, Instagram @democracyparadoxpodcast100 Books on DemocracySupport 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 GamboaSupport 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 HighlightsIntroduction - 0:47Uribe was a Threat to Democracy - 3:11Opposition Strategies in Colombia - 14:20Opposition Strategies in Venezuela - 17:53How Often do Aspiring Autocrats Get Elected - 27:03Final Advice for Democratic Oppositions - 34:02Key LinksLearn more about Laura Gamboa"The Peace Process and Colombia’s Elections" by Laura Gambia in the Journal of DemocracyResisting Backsliding: Opposition Strategies against the Erosion of Democracy by Laura GamboaDemocracy Paradox PodcastKim Lane Scheppele on Hungary, Viktor Orbán, and its Democratic DeclineCaitlin Andrews-Lee on Charismatic Movements and Personalistic LeadersMore Episodes from the PodcastMore InformationDemocracy GroupApes of the State created all MusicEmail the show at jkempf@democracyparadox.comFollow on Twitter @DemParadox100 Books on DemocracySupport the show