Intelligence Squared The Dictators Who Want to Run the World, with Anne Applebaum, Part Two
Sep 5, 2024
Anne Applebaum, a Pulitzer Prize-winning historian and expert on autocracy, dives into the evolution of autocratic regimes in the 21st century. She discusses how modern autocracies are like global networks, operating transactionally rather than ideologically. Applebaum highlights the sophistication of cross-border propaganda and the necessity for democracies to adapt and engage actively. She emphasizes the importance of understanding these regimes through a new lens, encouraging civic participation as a defense against democratic erosion.
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Social Media Regulation
- Democracies are wary of regulating social media due to free speech traditions and the platforms' initial self-portrayal as mere conduits.
- Regulating algorithms and holding platforms accountable to existing laws, like those for political advertising, could benefit democracy.
The Fight for Democracy
- Autocracies have been more successful than acknowledged, but the fight for democracy is ongoing and not a binary win-lose scenario.
- We should listen more to those fighting autocracy, as they often best understand these systems, like the Russian opposition who understood the oligarchy.
Saving Democracy
- Acknowledge the human tendency towards nostalgia and desire for stability, especially during times of change.
- Politicians must make democratic systems comfortable for diverse populations and appeal to a wider range of people.
