The rise of autocracy is fueled by the power and economic growth of autocratic countries like China and Russia, along with the appeal of the Chinese model, leading to the erosion of democracy.
The dissatisfaction caused by rapid social, cultural, and economic changes has given rise to populist and autocratic parties, challenging democratic institutions, and norms, while autocratic forces within democratic societies fuel propaganda narratives.
Deep dives
The Rise of Autocracy and Chinese Influence
The podcast discusses the rise of autocratic regimes and the influence of China. The speaker mentions that the power and economic growth of autocratic countries like China and Russia, along with the appeal of the Chinese model, contribute to the erosion of democracy. The speaker highlights the rise in connections between autocracies, as they collaborate to suppress democratic opposition and push their own propaganda and surveillance technologies. This resurgence of autocracies, supported by their shared tactics and common goals, is seen as a significant global shift.
Degradation of Established Democracies
The podcast explores the degradation and backsliding of established democracies, including the US and UK. The speaker argues that disappointment and anxiety caused by rapid social, cultural, and economic changes have fueled a desire for stability and a nostalgia for the past. This has led to the rise of populist and autocratic political parties and leaders who challenge democratic institutions and norms. The speaker also highlights the influence of autocratic forces within democratic societies, such as the business community and their propaganda narratives.
Factors Driving the Rise of Autocracy
The podcast discusses several factors driving the rise of autocracy. The first factor is personal ambition, with power-hungry individuals opportunistically joining autocratic movements for personal advancement. The second factor is disappointment and anxiety stemming from rapid social, cultural, and economic changes, which leads some people to seek stability and turn to backward-looking political parties. The third factor is economic disillusionment, particularly the declining economic prospects of the middle and upper working classes, which fuels a distrust of established institutions and a desire for a charismatic autocratic leader.
Potential Solutions and Hope for Democracy
The speaker suggests several potential solutions to address the erosion of democracy and counter the influence of autocratic regimes. These include efforts to recreate a healthy public conversation, regulate technology companies to promote transparency, renovate and renew democratic institutions, restrain the influence of the wealthy on politics, improve civic education, and confront kleptocracy internationally. The speaker remains optimistic about the appeal of democracy, emphasizing the power of democracy activism and the renewed engagement of younger generations in fighting for democratic values.
In this third episode of Martin Wolf’s series, the renowned FT columnist and economist speaks to the journalist and historian Anne Applebaum, who has written extensively about the history of communism and the development of civil society in central and eastern Europe. Drawing on arguments in Martin’s latest book, The Crisis of Democratic Capitalism, they discuss what lies behind a global rise in autocracy and what can be done to counter it.
This episode is presented by Martin Wolf. The producer is Laurence Knight. The executive producer is Manuela Saragosa and the sound engineer is Breen Turner. The FT's global head of audio is Cheryl Brumley. Clips: C-Span, France 24, Soviet radio, BBC, Stanford University, CBS