Tag Archives: democracy
The Strongman Fantasy
Lots of people like the idea of “strong” leaders, leaders who are decisive, who aren’t afraid to “blow things up” including even democracy itself. But as historian Timothy Snyder writes in a recent article, the idea of the strongman leader is a dangerous fantasy. Continue reading
Democracy in a Hotter Time
Democracy in a Hotter Time is a collection of essays about the relationship between climate change and democracy. The contributors do a good job diagnosing democracy’s problems dealing with the “long emergency” of climate change, but few propose practical solutions. I was disappointed by this book. Continue reading
The Road to Unfreedom
I read widely and I follow news and politics closely, but in recent years I’ve often felt utterly baffled by world events. It’s like I’m trying to put together a jigsaw puzzle without the picture on the box. I manage … Continue reading
On Tyranny
I’ve lived my whole life in democratic countries. I’ve never experienced what it’s like to live under a dictatorship, thankfully. But these days, I’m worried. Democracy here in the US and around the world seems more fragile that it used … Continue reading
Why We’re Polarized
Ezra Klein says polarization is the “master story” that explains why US politics is so toxic and dysfunctional these days. His book Why We’re Polarized aims to help us make sense of it all. I don’t know how I missed … Continue reading
Surviving Autocracy: Can American democracy survive Trump’s autocratic transformation?
Surviving Autocracy By Masha Gessen Riverhead Books, New York, 2020 Most people in the US today have never lived under a dictatorship. Maybe we’ve heard stories from our parents or grandparents who immigrated from such places, but we don’t have … Continue reading
Fascism: A Warning
Fascism: A WarningBy Madeleine AlbrightHarperCollins, New York, 2018 When she spoke to an adoring, packed house at Seattle’s Paramount Theater on the evening of April, 24, 2018, former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright stated clearly that she was not accusing … Continue reading
The Myth of the Strong Leader
We all admire strong leaders, leaders with a commanding presence, leaders who aren’t afraid to make tough decisions, who “tell it like it is” and press forward undaunted in the face of critics and nay-sayers. But are these strong leaders … Continue reading
25 years after the Velvet Revolution, Czechs “red card” their president
Perhaps democracy has been slow to take root in some ex-Communist countries, but today, on the 25th anniversary of the start of the Velvet Revolution, it seems to be alive and kicking in the Czech Republic. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/18/world/europe/-reverently-and-defiantly-czechs-honor-their-revolutions-anniversary.html?_r=0
Book Review: The Ideas That Conquered the World
The Ideas That Conquered the World By Michael Mandelbaum PublicAffairs, New York, NY, 2002 The Ideas That Conquered the World was published with some fanfare in 2002, in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks of 9/11. I can’t remember how … Continue reading
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