In this fascinating discussion, Daniel Ziblatt, a Harvard political scientist and co-author of bestselling books like *How Democracies Die*, examines how big money disrupts democratic processes. He highlights the alarming rise of corporate influence and its role in pushing voters toward extremes, undermining civil liberties and economic growth. Ziblatt questions whether democracy can truly thrive when undemocratic leaders are elected. He offers insights on how to realign governmental interests back to serving the people and confronting the decline of democracy globally.
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insights INSIGHT
Pillars of Democracy
Modern democracy rests on free and fair competition, inclusive participation, and civil liberties.
These ensure meaningful political engagement and protect against authoritarianism.
insights INSIGHT
True Competition
Genuine political competition exists when incumbents feel uncertain about re-election.
Concentrations of economic power, like Russia's oligarchs under Yeltsin, can undermine this competition.
insights INSIGHT
Democratic Parties
A democratic political party must accept election results, reject violence, and avoid ties to violent groups.
Using these criteria, the Democratic Party is currently more democratic than the Republican Party.
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In this book, Harvard professors Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt examine the breakdown of democracies, arguing that modern democracies do not die in a sudden coup but rather through the slow erosion of critical institutions and political norms. Drawing on decades of research and examples from 1930s Europe to contemporary cases in Hungary, Turkey, Venezuela, and the American South during Jim Crow, the authors highlight the importance of mutual toleration and forbearance in maintaining democratic stability. They identify key indicators of authoritarian behavior, such as the rejection of democratic rules, denial of opponents' legitimacy, tolerance of violence, and curtailment of civil liberties. The book also discusses the role of political parties in defending democracy and proposes solutions to counteract democratic backsliding, including elite-level cooperation, addressing social inequalities, and restoring democratic norms[2][4][5].
Conservative Parties and the Birth of Democracy
Daniel Ziblatt
In this book, Daniel Ziblatt examines the role of conservative parties in the democratization of Europe. He argues that the stability of democratic systems depended significantly on how conservative parties, traditionally defenders of power and privilege, adapted to and interacted with the rise of democratic movements. The book contrasts the 'settled' path of democratization in countries like Britain, where strong and well-organized conservative parties facilitated democratic transition, with the 'unsettled' path in countries like Germany, where weak conservative parties contributed to democratic instability. Ziblatt's analysis is based on rich historical and quantitative evidence, offering a major reinterpretation of European history and its implications for modern democracies[2][4][5].
Daniel Ziblatt is an American political scientist, Eaton Professor of the Science of Government at Harvard University, and the co-author (with Steven Levitsky) of several bestselling books, including How Democracies Die and Tyranny of the Minority. Ziblatt writes from the position that what defines strong democracies is free and fair competition for power, inclusive participation, and a package of civil liberties that make those first two conditions possible.
2024 saw voters in more than 60 countries go to the polls—and deliver difficult outcomes for incumbents and traditional political parties. This week, Ziblatt joins Bethany and Luigi to discuss the fate of democracy after 2024. They explore how big money and corporate power have destabilized democracies worldwide by interfering with the conditions for free and fair competition for power. The consequence has been the movement of voters toward political extremes, which in turn can often threaten economic growth, civil liberties, and the rule of law. Nevertheless, should we judge the strength of democracy by process or outcome? Does democracy still thrive when the people vote for undemocratic politicians and parties?
Together, Ziblatt and our co-hosts discuss how to curb global democratic decline by realigning government away from the interests of corporations or big money and back to those of the people.
Episode Notes:
Revisit ProMarket’s series seeking to understand the issues of political economy driving global populist movements during the 2024 “year of elections.”
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