Hélène Landemore

What if we harnessed the collective wisdom of the crowds and delegated democratic leadership to the masses?In her book "Open Democracy: Reinventing Popular Rule for the 21st Century", Yale political scientist Hélène Landemore proposes a radically new vision for "what genuine democratic representation means and how we could open up our narrow electoral institutions to ordinary citizens, including via [what she calls] open mini-publics." Drawing from ancient Athenian democracy of the past and the promise of harnessing digital technologies of the future, she joins Bethany and Luigi to talk through this vision of participatory democracy. They discuss how to best harness human nature for agency and impact, ensure transparency to provide accountability in the face of private vested interests, and ultimately its implications for market capitalism. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this engaging discussion, Hélène Landemore, a Yale political science professor and author of "Open Democracy," explores the complex relationship between democracy and the pervasive nature of bullshit. She critiques current democratic systems and highlights how they often benefit elites over ordinary citizens. Landemore proposes innovative solutions like sortition and citizen assemblies, drawing inspiration from Iceland's constitutional experiment. She also discusses the challenges posed by globalization and AI, all while advocating for greater democratic openness and citizen empowerment.

Hélène Landemore, a Yale political science professor known for her innovative approach to democracy, dives deep into the challenges posed by elite manipulation of language. She critiques electoral representative democracy, emphasizing its oligarchic tendencies and advocates for sortition and citizen assemblies. Landemore discusses powerful examples from Iceland’s constitutional experiment and contemporary movements like France's Yellow Vests, showcasing the potential for citizen-driven governance. She also addresses concerns about competence and the importance of teaching collaborative decision-making.