The Reactionary Spirit in America—and Abroad

A reactionary antidemocratic ethos born and bred in America has come to infect democracies around the world. This is the central thesis of a timely new book by the journalist Zack Beauchamp, The Reactionary Spirit: How America's Most Insidious Political Tradition Swept the World.

Through a mix of political history and reportage, The Reactionary Spirit reveals how the United States serves the birthplace of a new authoritarian style, and why we’re now seeing its evolution in a diverse set of countries ranging from Hungary to Israel to India.

Zack is a senior correspondent at Vox, where he covers challenges to democracy in the United States and abroad, right-wing populism, and the world of ideas. He is also the author of “On the Right,” a newsletter about the American conservative movement.

To talk more about the book and our current political moment, Zack joins Milan on the show this week. The two discuss the rise of competitive authoritarianism, inequality and democracy, and the strange era of “autocracy without autocrats.” Plus, Zack and Milan discuss transnational linkages between rightwing populists and India’s role in the global fight for reclaiming democracy.

Episode notes:

1. Zack Beauchamp, “Why do US politics affect the rest of the world?” Vox, February 28, 2025.

2.Zack Beauchamp, “Their democracy died. They have lessons for America about Trump’s power grab,” February 5, 2025.

3.Zack Beauchamp, “America’s reactionary moment is here,” Vox, November 19, 2024.

4.Zack Beauchamp, “The global trend that pushed Donald Trump to victory,” Vox, November 6, 2024.

5.Zack Beauchamp, “Why the far right is surging all over the world,” Vox, July 17, 2024.