14 - The King Is Dead, Now What? The 250-Year Struggle for Democracy (Part 3)

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Jul 24, 2025

Explore the remarkable journey from revolutionary France to modern political ideologies. Discover how the left/right spectrum evolved amidst pivotal events like the fall of the Berlin Wall and the rise of neoliberalism. Delve into the complexities of democracy, emphasizing the importance of inclusion and dissent. Plus, reflect on the parallels between the U.S. and Russia as both grapple with authoritarianism. This thought-provoking discussion encourages a deeper understanding of values over rigid political labels.

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ANECDOTE

National Assembly Seating Origin

The host drops into a humorous National Assembly scene to show seating origins of left and right.
This anecdote explains why political 'left' and 'right' labels emerged during the French Revolution.

INSIGHT

Three-Ideology Map

Politics since the French Revolution are best seen as three competing ideologies: conservatism, liberalism, and the left.
Each ideology pursues safety and prosperity but via different priorities and strategies.

INSIGHT

Culture Over Coup

The 1960s youth movements shifted left-wing strategy from overthrow to cultural influence.
The left aimed to change minds via art, education, and pop culture when economic change proved harder.

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Breaking news: The Soviet Union has collapsed! The Berlin Wall has crumbled! Communism has fallen! Capitalism wins! USA! USA!

But wait… what’s this? Russia has been overtaken by oligarchs and an authoritarian dictator. Oh no… Well, at least that could never happen in the United States. Right?

This is the climactic Part Three of our three-part series on the history of the left/right political spectrum.

After the youth protests of the 1960s failed to topple governments, left-wing radicalism shifted its focus—from revolution to championing social equality through pop culture. But as culture wars raged, neoliberalism—liberalism and capitalism’s love child—conquered the globe, fueling deregulation, rising corporate power, and deepening economic divides that hollowed out democracy itself.

Just three decades after the Cold War, the old adversaries—Russia and the U.S.—found themselves on eerily parallel paths, ushering in a new era of oligarchy and a return to right-wing rule—like the one the French Revolution fought against all those years ago.

Join us as we trace how the world drifted from dreams of liberation to authoritarian control—and how a new generation began planting the seeds of liberty and equality once again.

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CITATIONS

“Vietnam War.” Encyclopaedia Britannica.

“Vietnam War U.S. Military Fatal Casualty Statistics.” National Archives.

Thatcher, Margaret. Speech to the Conservative Women’s Conference. May 21, 1980.

Wong, Edward. “China’s Black Cat, White Cat Diplomacy.” Foreign Policy, July 10, 2009.

Reagan, Ronald. Speech at Reagan-Bush Rally in Warren, Michigan. October 10, 1984.

“Distribution of Household Wealth in the U.S. since 1989.” Federal Reserve.

Davidson, Amy. “Exploring Occupy Wall Street’s Adbusters Origins.” NPR, October 20, 2011.

“Youth Voting in 2016 Primaries and Caucuses.” CIRCLE, Tufts University.

Kestenbaum, David. “How Shock Therapy Created Russian Oligarchs and Paved the Path for Putin.” NPR, March 22, 2022.

Steele, Jonathan. “How Football Conquered Russia.” The Guardian, July 2, 2003.

Harding, Luke. “Roman Abramovich: The Billionaire Oligarch with a Backstory Shrouded in Secrecy.” The Guardian, March 21, 2022.

Keats, Jonathon. “Design of Dissent.” Forbes, October 28, 2019.

Birnbaum, Michael. “Occupy Wall Street Protests Go Global.” The Washington Post, October 15, 2011.

Jojo Rabbit. 2019. Directed by Taika Waititi.

Music: Celestial Soda Pop

By: Ray Lynch

From the album: Deep Breakfast