The Good Fight

Yevgenia Albats is a Russian journalist, and editor-in-chief and CEO of the popular Russian independent magazine The New Times. The magazine has now been blocked by government censors for reporting on the war in Ukraine. Until last week, when the station was taken off the air, Albats was also host of a long-running radio show on Ekho Moskvy. The author of The State Within a State: The KGB and its Hold on Russia–Past, Present, and Future, she is a member of the Persuasion board of advisors. In this week’s conversation, Yevgenia Albats and Yascha Mounk discuss the quickly-evolving nature of the Putin dictatorship, how ordinary Russians view the invasion, and the fate of the free Russian press in the face of a new wave of repression.This transcript has been condensed and lightly edited for clarity.Please do listen and spread the word about The Good Fight.If you have not yet signed up for our podcast, please do so now by following this link on your phone.Email: podcast@persuasion.community Website: http://www.persuasion.communityPodcast production by John Taylor Williams, and Brendan RuberryLearn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesConnect with us!Spotify | Apple | GoogleTwitter: @Yascha_Mounk & @joinpersuasionYoutube: Yascha MounkLinkedIn: Persuasion CommunityLearn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Lea Ypi is a professor of political theory at the London School of Economics. She is the author of Free: Coming of Age at the End of History, about growing up in Albania, Europe’s last Stalinist outpost, and the political convulsions that followed its transition to liberal capitalism.In this week’s conversation, Lea Ypi and Yascha Mounk discuss childhood in the shadow of totalitarianism, the perils and pitfalls of post-communist states’ rapid transition towards capitalism, and how states can maximize freedom for their citizens.(This conversation was recorded on February 9th, before the Russian invasion of Ukraine.)This transcript has been condensed and lightly edited for clarity.Please do listen and spread the word about The Good Fight.If you have not yet signed up for our podcast, please do so now by following this link on your phone.Email: podcast@persuasion.community Website: http://www.persuasion.communityPodcast production by John Taylor Williams, and Brendan RuberryLearn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesConnect with us!Spotify | Apple | GoogleTwitter: @Yascha_Mounk & @joinpersuasionYoutube: Yascha MounkLinkedIn: Persuasion CommunityLearn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

George Packer is a journalist, author, playwright, and a staff writer at The Atlantic, where he recently published a piece on Ukraine's meaning for the liberal world and American interests. In his books, from The Unwinding to Our Man, he has chronicled the disintegration of America’s social fabric and the polarization of its politics. His latest book is Last Best Hope: America in Crisis and Renewal. In this week’s conversation, Yascha Mounk and George Packer discuss the dire choices facing the Ukrainian people, how the liberal democratic societies of the world can respond, and which historical analogues can help us navigate today’s uncertainty.This transcript has been condensed and lightly edited for clarity.Please do listen and spread the word about The Good Fight.If you have not yet signed up for our podcast, please do so now by following this link on your phone.Email: podcast@persuasion.community Website: http://www.persuasion.communityPodcast production by John Taylor Williams, and Brendan RuberryLearn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesConnect with us!Spotify | Apple | GoogleTwitter: @Yascha_Mounk & @joinpersuasionYoutube: Yascha MounkLinkedIn: Persuasion CommunityLearn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Moisés Naím, a Distinguished Fellow at the Carnegie Endowment and former Foreign Policy editor, dives deep into modern governance challenges. He discusses the rise of authoritarianism and the collaboration among regimes in response to technology's disruptive power. Naím explores the dynamics of populism and polarization, revealing how leaders manipulate truth to centralize power. Using Hugo Chavez and Donald Trump as case studies, he highlights the enduring dangers these tactics pose to democracy in the 21st century.

Jonathan Sumption, Lord Sumption is a British judge, author and historian. He is a former Justice of the United Kingdom Supreme Court and a frequent public commentator. In this week’s conversation, Jonathan Sumption and Yascha Mounk discuss the prospects for democracy in the English-speaking world, the value of judicial oversight, and the power of strong political conventions.This transcript has been condensed and lightly edited for clarity.Please do listen and spread the word about The Good Fight.If you have not yet signed up for our podcast, please do so now by following this link on your phone.Email: podcast@persuasion.community Website: http://www.persuasion.communityPodcast production by John Taylor Williams, and Brendan RuberryLearn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesConnect with us!Spotify | Apple | GoogleTwitter: @Yascha_Mounk & @joinpersuasionYoutube: Yascha MounkLinkedIn: Persuasion CommunityLearn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Gerald Knaus is a social scientist and chairman of the European Stability Initiative. An expert on asylum and migration policy, he has been one of the most influential voices in reshaping Europe's refugee system since the 2015 crisis.In this week’s conversation, Gerald Knaus and Yascha Mounk discuss the history of asylum; how to develop a more humane system of migration; and how the European Union can fight democratic backsliding in its member states.This transcript has been condensed and lightly edited for clarity.Please do listen and spread the word about The Good Fight.If you have not yet signed up for our podcast, please do so now by following this link on your phone.Email: podcast@persuasion.community Website: http://www.persuasion.communityPodcast production by John Taylor Williams, and Brendan RuberryLearn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesConnect with us!Spotify | Apple | GoogleTwitter: @Yascha_Mounk & @joinpersuasionYoutube: Yascha MounkLinkedIn: Persuasion CommunityLearn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Javier Cercas, a prominent Spanish novelist and columnist at El País, delves into Spain’s tumultuous modern history. He discusses the country’s transition from dictatorship to democracy and the ongoing Catalonian secession movement. Cercas emphasizes the importance of confronting a nation’s troubled past to forge a cohesive identity. He draws parallels with Germany’s historical reckoning, shedding light on how acknowledging complex histories shapes democratic stability and national narratives. A thought-provoking conversation on memory and identity!

Ramachandra Guha is an Indian historian, writer, and one of the foremost authorities on modern India. The author of India After Gandhi and Gandhi Before India, he is also a leading critic of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Guha is a member of the Persuasion Board of Advisors. In this week’s conversation, Ramachandra Guha and Yascha Mounk discuss the history of Indian pluralism, the rise of Hindu nationalism, and the prospects for preserving liberal democracy in India.This transcript has been condensed and lightly edited for clarity.Please do listen and spread the word about The Good Fight.If you have not yet signed up for our podcast, please do so now by following this link on your phone.Email: podcast@persuasion.community Website: http://www.persuasion.communityPodcast production by John Taylor Williams, and Brendan RuberryLearn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesConnect with us!Spotify | Apple | GoogleTwitter: @Yascha_Mounk & @joinpersuasionYoutube: Yascha MounkLinkedIn: Persuasion CommunityLearn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Harvey Mansfield, a prominent conservative thinker and professor at Harvard, joins Yascha Mounk to dissect the nuances of American liberalism. They discuss Donald Trump's impact on conservatism and explore Alexis de Tocqueville's timeless insights regarding democracy and individualism. The conversation highlights the tension between democratic ideals and the prevalence of political vulgarity, while also critiquing modern conservatism's challenges. Additionally, they consider strategies for restoring open discourse and fostering connections among voters across the political spectrum.

Fiona Hill, a former Senior Director for Europe and Russia on the National Security Council and key impeachment witness, shares her remarkable journey from a coal town in England to the halls of power in Washington. She discusses the rise of populism and its resonance with working-class voters, as well as her experiences navigating the tumultuous Trump administration. Hill reflects on the impact of Russian interference in U.S. politics and emphasizes the need for integrity and global cooperation in a rapidly changing world.