Pitchfork Economics with Nick Hanauer The Right of the People: Democracy and the Case for a New American Founding (with Osita Nwanevu)
Dec 16, 2025
Osita Nwanevu, a political writer and journalist, delves into the intertwined crises of democracy and economic inequality. He discusses how extreme wealth concentration distorts politics, threatening democratic stability. Nwanevu argues that true democratic governance must extend to workplaces, advocating for workers' rights and decision-making power. He critiques the constitutional flaws that perpetuate anti-democratic practices and outlines a vision for a more inclusive system, emphasizing that achieving this requires long-term, generational efforts.
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Founding Designed Against Majoritarian Rule
- Osita Nwanevu argues the U.S. Constitution was designed to limit direct democracy to protect property and elite interests.
- Those structural choices still hinder democratic responsiveness today and block many popular reforms.
Childhood Memory Of The 2000 Electoral Dispute
- Osita recalls being told in childhood that a candidate won despite losing the popular vote in 2000.
- That early sense of unfairness informed his later focus on democratic legitimacy and institutions.
Politics And Work Are One System
- Democracy means "the governed govern," so political and economic control are inseparable.
- Lack of workplace power translates into political inequality because economic elites shape politics and policy.
