In this conversation at the Review of Democracy, Zack Beauchamp – author of the new book The Reactionary Spirit. How America’s Most Insidious Political Tradition Swept the World – discusses the specific kind of
antidemocratic politics that emerges in countries with democratic institutions; shows how the United States might to said to have invented competitive authoritarianism; explains the conclusions he drew from
comparing countries from different continents and how those conclusions may help us correct Western misperceptions; and reflects on the major intellectual
inspirations behind his book.
Zack Beauchamp is a senior correspondent at Vox where he covers challenges to democracy in the US and elsewhere, right-wing populism, and the world of ideas. He also acted as the host of Worldly, Vox’s weekly podcast on foreign policy and international affairs.
The Reactionary Spirit. How America’s Most Insidious Political Tradition Swept the World is published by Public Affairs.
RevDem Podcast