Podcasts about Autocracy

Journalist and historian Anne Applebaum joins Offline to discuss America's slide towards autocracy, as illustrated through Trump's war of choice in Iran. Anne is a staff writer at The Atlantic, an authoritarianism expert, and the host of the "Autocracy in America" podcast. She and Jon discuss how Trump and the White House are using propaganda to minimize the seriousness of this war, what our president has learned from other autocrats, and why Anne is still hopeful that American democracy can still prevail.For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast.

Synopsis:  If you're worried about authoritarianism, this episode reminds you that people-powered resistance still wins. Indivisible's Ezra Levin and Hungarian organizer László Upor share creative, community-driven tactics — from joyful protests to bold campus actions — that pushed back against autocratic agendas. Their message: you have more power than you think. This show is made possible by you!  Make a tax deductible donation and become a member, go to LauraFlanders.org/donate.  Description [orignal airdate December 2025]: If you care about resisting autocracy and building democracy, the U.S. has much to learn from Hungary. While Donald Trump rails against Europe, he and Hungary's strongman leader, Viktor Orbán, have praised each other for years. Anti-democratic, anti-immigrant, anti-woman, anti-queer — Orbán and Trump came to power on parallel tracks with similar values. In their first interview together, Ezra Levin, the co-founder of Indivisible (the group behind No Kings!) and László Upor, a leader in one of Hungary's most creative and visible resistance efforts, share their experiences of resisting authoritarianism. Upor is former Vice Rector and Acting Rector of the University of Theatre and Film Arts in Budapest — the one university that fought back when the Orbán administration began taking control of Hungary's universities. Levin is the co-founder and co-executive director of Indivisible, the grassroots movement behind such protests as the historic Hands Off and No Kings rallies. From the principles of their organizing to frog suits and caution tape, today's episode is a masterclass in creative resistance. Plus a commentary from Laura. “Our enemy in this isn't Trump, it's not the Republicans. It's not the broader regime. Our enemy is this sense of cynicism or fatalism or nihilism . . . I do think a core principle in our communication philosophy is convincing people, you have power, you just gotta use it. The best way to use it is in concert with a lot of other people in your community.” - Ezra Levin “You have to laugh at them, not be afraid of them . . . They don't understand mirth. They don't understand the derision. They think they are invincible. And when we don't give in, they don't understand what's going on.” - László Upper Guests: • Ezra Levin: Co-Founder & Co-Executive Director, Indivisible • László Upor: Former Vice Rector & Acting Rector, University of Theatre and Film Arts (SzFE), Budapest, Hungary   Watch the episode released on YouTube; PBS World Channel Sundays 11:30am ET, and on over 300 public stations across the country (check your listings, or search here via zipcode). Listen: Episode airing on community radio (check here to see if your station airs the show) & available as a podcast. Full Episode Notes are located HERE. Music Credit:  'Thrum of Soil' by Bluedot Sessions, 'Steppin' by Podington Bear, and original sound design by Jeannie Hopper Support Laura Flanders and Friends by becoming a member at https://www.patreon.com/c/lauraflandersandfriends   RESOURCES: * Recommended Book: “We Are Indivisible: A Blueprint for Democracy After Trump” by Leah Greenberg and Ezra Levin, Get the Book* (*Bookshop is an online bookstore with a mission to financially support local, independent bookstores. The LF Show is an affiliate of bookshop.org and will receive a small commission if you click through and make a purchase.)   Related Laura Flanders Show Episodes: • Congresswoman Jayapal & Marine Veteran Goldbeck: Standing Together Against the Administration's War on Civilians:  Watch / Listen:  Full uncut interview and Episode cut • Masha Gessen & Jason Stanley: Is it Doomsday for U.S. Democracy?: Watch / Listen:  Full uncut interview and Episode cut  • Dolores Huerta & Ellen Gavin: Creative Courage in the Face of Fascism:  Watch / Listen:  Full uncut interview and Episode cut     Related Articles and Resources: •  Indivisible:  A Practical Guide to Democracy on the Brink:  Strategies, Tactics, & Tips for How Everyday Americans Can Fight Back Together Wherever We Live, lead authors Leah & Ezra -co-founders of Indivisible, Download the PDF and Audio Version •  The Three R's Framework by Scot Nakagawa, October 1, 2025, Substack •. Countering Authocratization:  Lessons from the 2025 Harvard Nonviolent Action Lab Summit, October 16, 2025, Harvard Kennedy School:  Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation •  Learning Republic: Students and Teachers from Hungary's Theater and Film University Build an Alternative to Autocracy, by Alisa Solomon, Theater Magazine •  The Government Took Over Their University.  Here's How These Students Fought Back, by Todd London, September 16, 2025, Howlround Theatre Commons • How to save the news.  The internet has become a tool of misinformation and mass surveillance.  A global initiative seeks to change that. by Marta Peirano, November 5, 2025, Prospect Avenue •  Artists Against Authoritarianism: A Talk by László Upor, September 2, 2025, Columbia University School of the Arts  Laura Flanders and Friends Crew: Laura Flanders-Executive Producer, Writer; Sabrina Artel-Supervising Producer; Jeremiah Cothren-Senior Producer; Veronica Delgado-Video Editor, Janet Hernandez-Communications Director; Jeannie Hopper-Audio Director, Podcast & Radio Producer, Audio Editor, Sound Design, Narrator; Sarah Miller-Development Director, Nat Needham-Editor, Graphic Design emeritus; David Neuman-Senior Video Editor, and Rory O'Conner-Senior Consulting Producer. FOLLOW Laura Flanders and FriendsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauraflandersandfriends/Blueky: https://bsky.app/profile/lfandfriends.bsky.socialFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/LauraFlandersAndFriends/Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lauraflandersandfriendsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFLRxVeYcB1H7DbuYZQG-lgLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lauraflandersandfriendsPatreon: https://www.patreon.com/lauraflandersandfriendsACCESSIBILITY - The broadcast edition of this episode is available with closed captioned by clicking here for our YouTube Channel

New York Times columnist and author M.Gessen on the slow strangulation of democracy, happening right now in Trump's America.M Gessen grew up in the Soviet Union and migrated to the US as a teenager before returning to Russia in the 90s to cover the country's brief attempt at democracy and then the slow slide back into autocratic rule under Vladimir Putin.M's insight into the mindset of the autocrat offers some clarity on why such leaders do the things they do and how they see the world.This Conversation was recorded at the Brisbane Powerhouse, as part of the Brisbane Writer's Festival.Further Information M Gessen is an author and New York Times columnist, their latest book is Surviving AutocracyThis episode of Conversations was produced by Alice Moldovan, Nicola Harrison is the Executive Producer.It covers US politics, President Donald Trump, democratic institutions, the Soviet Union, state terror, state tyranny, Vladimir Putin, journalism, protest, ICE, Minneapolis, autocratic rulers, power, dogma, mindset, democratic freedom, voting in elections, Hannah Arendt, Milan Kundera, mutual aid, organising.To binge even more great episodes of the Conversations podcast with Richard Fidler and Sarah Kanowski go the ABC listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. There you'll find hundreds of the best thought-provoking interviews with authors, writers, artists, politicians, psychologists, musicians, and celebrities.

Well, the quagmire has set in. The Iran war is in its second week and Oil Prices are above $100 a barrel and even though it was clear from the first shots being fired it is now manifest that Trump has no strategy. And his ability to act with impunity shows that constraining leaders to act with strategy rather than just opportunism is a key aspect of democracy and accountability. We are trying to focus on solutions, to see what is working in Britain, and to chat through various amorphous topics, such as: ‘What is Strategy?' and why does democracy have a communications problem. In 2011, statistics show that 11 democracies suffered backsliding into autocracy. Today: that number is in the mid-40s. With Trump's America at the peak of that shift, what can be done to reverse that trend? And better yet, what can be done to protect all democracies going forward? Can institutions be made in advance that could protect democratic backsliding before it happens?!? To build on our recent episode with Graham Zellick on how democracy is protected in the UK, Jason is joined by Richard Symons. Richard is the founder of Compass & Co —a UK-based strategy and communications firm helping leaders with policy, corporate strategy, and clear messaging in complex environments.  They discuss the pressing issue of democratic backsliding, what it means, what causes it, some innovative solutions being proposed, including in Wales, and as they Order the Disorder, they look at the need for a ‘right to facts' type law, and why bold leadership is needed to maintain democracy. To join our Mega Orderers Club for ad free listening, early episode releases and exclusive access to live events, visit https://disorder.supportingcast.fm/ Producer: George McDonagh Subscribe to our Substack - https://natoandtheged.substack.com/ Disorder on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@DisorderShow Show Notes Links: For more on compass and Co https://www.compass-strat.com/  Read: The Revenge of Power: How Autocrats Are Reinventing Politics for the 21st Century - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Revenge-Power-Autocrats-Reinventing-Politics/dp/B096WDF625/  Read: Has Wales found the solution to Autocracy? https://justhinkin.substack.com/p/has-wales-found-the-solution-to-autocracy?r=3cs2wr  Read: What's Really Driving America to In'soul'vency? https://justhinkin.substack.com/p/whos-driving-the-insoulvency?r=3cs2wr Listen to our episode with Sir Geoff Mulgan to hear more about his Right to Truth idea: https://pod.link/1706818264/episode/Y2Y1ZTFhOTAtZjJjNC0xMWYwLTljMTMtYzc5MjBhZmIxYTU0  Listen to our episode with Elie Honig where similar issues are addressed in the US context and how the powerful are held to account via the Special Prosecutor system: https://pod.link/1706818264/episode/NmU0ZGIzZTQtYjhhMS0xMWYwLTk0NWQtZWZlN2MwMWI1YWJm  To join our Mega Orderers Club for ad free listening, early episode releases and exclusive access to live events, visit https://disorder.supportingcast.fm/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Get Alex's class here: https://www.patreon.com/posts/modern-russia-75-151205869?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_fan&utm_content=web_share   Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2019 did not happen in a vacuum. In fact, it was the result of a series of events that culminated in the disintegration of the USSR and its messy aftermath. The only way that we can fully understand the intricacies of "collapse," the Ukraine conflict, and modern Russia is by careful study of its history.   This course begins with the late Tsarist Empire, assessing its imperial structure and its fault lines, taking students through the collapse of Autocracy, the two revolutions of 1917, all the way to Putin's ascent. Combining over 10+ years of study (my PhD is in Russian History), personal knowledge, archival experience, and more, it offers students a thorough understanding of Russia and the USSR.   The class is split into 7 sessions, comprised of lectures and discussion. We will begin meeting at the end of March on a day and time decided together.   Check out our new bi-weekly series, "The Crisis Papers" here: https://www.patreon.com/bitterlakepresents/shop   Thank you guys again for taking the time to check this out. We appreciate each and everyone of you. If you have the means, and you feel so inclined,   BECOME A PATRON! We're creating patron only programing, you'll get bonus content from many of the episodes, and you get MERCH!   Become a patron now https://www.patreon.com/join/BitterLakePresents?   Please also like, subscribe, and follow us on these platforms as well, (specially YouTube!)   THANKS Y'ALL   YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCG9WtLyoP9QU8sxuIfxk3eg Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Thisisrevolutionpodcast/ Twitter: @TIRShowOakland Instagram: @thisisrevolutionoakland   Substack: https://jmylesoftir.substack.com/.../the-money-will-roll...   Read Jason Myles in Current Affairs Magazine here: https://www.currentaffairs.org/.../donald-trump-is-a-pro...   Read Jason Myles in Damage Magazine https://damagemag.com/2023/11/07/the-man-who-sold-the-world/

In this latest conversation, we speak with Minxin Peiabout his latest book, The Broken China Dream: How Reform Revived Totalitarianism (Princeton University Press, 2025),which challenges the enduring assumption that economic development naturally leads to democracy. Pei argues that China's post-Mao reforms produced not political liberalization but a resilient, adaptive form of authoritarianism.Focusing on the Deng Xiaoping time, he shows how these changes also reinforced centralized authority, fostered corruption, and sidelined reformist actors—laying the groundwork for neo-authoritarian rule. The conversation turns to nationalism and the Patriotic Education Campaign, probing how nationalism in contemporary China has been mobilized to legitimize Xi Jinping's totalizing control. We ask whether the features once seen as China's strengths—partydominance and controlled markets—are now sources of fragility under Xi Jinping.Dwelling on the significance of the title of the book, we explore how the rise of China, counterintuitive to many in the West, is ultimately an example of contradictions inherent in modern as well as Chinese politics.

Historian Anne Applebaum, staff writer at The Atlantic,  host of their podcast "Autocracy in America" and author of Autocracy Inc. (Penguin, 2024) and offers her analysis of how President Trump and his administration are seeking to control elections, as well as science and culture, and why.   photo: "I Voted" sticker worn on lapel of fuzzy winter coat, shot during the November 2025 election in St. Paul, Minnesota.  (Funknendai, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons)

Is the release of files on Project Artichoke a joke, mockery, or part of a plan to deconstruct the state? While parroting patriots brag about Olympic gold medals, the White House is at work gutting the tenth amendment, first over artificial intelligence, and now over glyphosate and agricultural chemicals.The release of files on 9/11, JFK, RFK, MLK, Epstein, etc., have vindicated as many conspiracy theories. But much of what was learned by some had already been known by others. Other files have not been released, or conspiracies exposed, like Project Artichoke or Northwoods. A new document pertaining to Artichoke was added to a CIA archive recently but the program has been known about since the 1970s. Nothing new has been released on Northwoods, yet the paper circulated as if it had been in 2025. DOGE exposed waste, but this was not the first time that has happened. Former FBI officials saying phones can be used to spy or influencers pointing out that many foods are food-like substances are both old news. The public is being fed already available information laced with poison. The goal appears to be the undermining of what little faith remains in all foundational, legacy systems. People then demand new parties and system of government. This is where Curtis Yarvin, Elon Musk, Peter Thiel, and JD Vance, among others, come into play. Their neoreactionary movement advocates for exposing flaws in the current system - failed democracy and bloated bureaucracies - to replace them with technological-monarchy and autocracy. A great example of how this is being done can be found in the issue of glyphosate. In Dec 2025: USDA announces $12 Billion to help farmers pay for chemicals/fertilizer. On Jan 2026: USDA releases the Pesticide Data Program report declaring 99% of food "safe” based on a USDA benchmark. On Feb 2026: Trump uses the Defense Production Act to label weedkiller a "national security asset." As with the Big Beautiful Bill, which was a massive and wasteful bill that stripped state-rights over Artificial Intelligence, HR 7567 is attempting to do the same with pesticide labeling. It calls for “uniformity in pesticide labeling nationally” and will “prohibit any State... or a court from directly or indirectly... hold[ing] liable any entity.” The bill effectively destroys the 10th amendment and state rights, setting an additional precedent for federal control. It's not just business as usual, it's worse business and it's worse than usual. The long declassified Project Artichoke, or the exploration of mind control, supposedly being to classified at the same time appears to be nothing more than a mockery and a joke.https://www.congress.gov/119/bills/hr7567/BILLS-119hr7567ih.pdfhttps://www.usda.gov/farmers-first https://www.ams.usda.gov/press-release/usda-publishes-2024-pesticide-data-program-annual-summaryhttps://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2026/02/promoting-the-national-defense-by-ensuring-an-adequate-supply-of-elemental-phosphorus-and-glyphosate-based-herbicides/?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email*The is the FREE archive, which includes advertisements. If you want an ad-free experience, you can subscribe below underneath the show description.

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has been dragging Saudi Arabia into the modern world over the last decade. Journalist and author Karen Elliott House lays out the Saudi leader's motivations, hopes, and contradictions. Listen as she and EconTalk's Russ Roberts explore the crown prince's mix of cultural liberalization and political dominance and where his balancing act might lead his country in the future. 

In this season, we dive into the question of how academics and practitioners can come together at a time in which democracy and rights are under attack in many places. What can we learn from those working across these spaces on doing this well? In this third episode we have a very inspiring guest that brings a unique perspective on these issues and "refuses to box herself in". Marina Slhessarenko Barreto is a political scientist and writer affiliated with the Law and Democracy cluster at CEBRAP, one of Brazil's largest research centers and a PhD student funded by the Rosa Luxemburg Stiftung. Born into a Ukrainian family with a legacy of pro-democracy activism, it may not be a surprise that she ended up writing a book called The Path of Autocracy, which dives into the challenges that Brazilian democracy faces, ánd proposes ways out of the ongoing autocratic cycle across the globe. Marina is a regular contributor to media, including on geopolitical matters that are so high on the agenda today.  We talk about the lessons from Brazil but also: Why is she so keen on bridging these different worlds and build networks of solidarity - especially as women in academia? What is borogodó and why is it relevant to 'speak to society' and collaborate well? And what gives her hope today?This and more in today's episode. So please grab a coffee, your tea, and listen in on the conversation!REQUEST: you are very welcome to share your reflections on this conversation with us via peoplevsinequality@gmail.com, as we are capturing this in a blog!For more about Marina's work:-The path of Autocracy EN summary https://laut.org.br/en/book-the-path-of-autocracy/ -Bloomsbury Handbook of Brazilian Democracy (feat 50 women scholars, forthcoming) https://www.bloomsbury.com/us/bloomsbury-handbook-of-brazilian-democracy-9798216392422/-CCI-Cebrap https://cci-cebrap.org.br/en/about/-Mapping autocratic actions https://agendadeemergencia.laut.org.br/en/ -Article on Ukraine https://ojs.uel.br/revistas/uel/index.php/seminasoc/article/view/51672/51585About this podcast: In a time of crisis and fast change, the People vs Inequality podcast is a space to reflect and learn with changemakers on how to tackle inequality. The show is a co-production between Barbara van Paassen (host, creator) and Elizabeth Maina (producer), and edited by Charles Rigga. This series was funded by the Atlantic Fellowship for Social and Economic Equity Programme at the London School of Economics as part of an academic-practitioner collaboration project. The views expressed in this podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the position of the Atlantic Fellows for Social and Economic Equity programme, the International Inequalities Institute, or the London School of Economics and Political Science. More about the podcast: https://peoplevsinequality.blogspot.com/More about the AcPrac project: https://afsee.atlanticfellows.org/academic-practitioner-collaborations

Kim Lane Scheppele joins Valerie Nannery to discuss how America's slide into autocracy is similar to and different from autocratic shifts around the world, how far America is on the path to autocracy, and what we can all do to stop the descent. Join the Progressive Legal Movement Today: ACSLaw.orgHost: Valerie Nannery, Senior Director of Policy and ProgramGuest: Kim Lane Scheppele, Laurance S. Rockefeller Professor of Sociology and International Affairs & Director of the Program in Law and Normative Thinking at the University Center for Human Values, Princeton University Link: Autocratic Legalism, by Kim Lane ScheppeleLink: Trump's Counter Constitution, by Kim Lane ScheppeleLink: The ‘Big Lie's' Autocratic Assault on the Rule of Law: Attorneys Can Stop It, by Jim SaranteasLink: Become a Poll WorkerVisit the Podcast Website: Broken Law Podcast Email the Show: Podcast@ACSLaw.org Follow ACS on Social Media: Facebook | Instagram | Bluesky | LinkedIn | YouTube -----------------Broken Law: About the law, who it serves, and who it doesn't.----------------- Production House: Flint Stone Media Copyright of American Constitution Society 2025.

The common perception of Chinese governance is a strong, centralized state. For decades, however, the vast majority of the country's policies  originated with local governments, as officials experimented, competed, and copied each other's successes. In this episode, Shaoda Wang of Harris Public Policy describes his research analyzing 3.7 million government documents to trace the origin and diffusion of Chinese policies, revealing the economic costs of the country's shift toward centralized policymaking.

Hi out there, how goes it? My name is Nathan Robertson-Ball and welcome to the finding nature podcast. Today is a huge episode and one I've been excited to share with this audience for months. Nina Jankowicz is one of the world's leading authorities on disinformation and democratisation - and what a time to be having this conversation. Nina was recently in Australia and after having the privilege to speak with her for the first time in 2024 getting to do so again was a thrill.Nina's own career charts well beyond this moment of political, social, moral and cultural crisis we seem happy to slip further and further into. As a Fulbright Scholar her work and research focussed on how Russia organised and deployed mis and disinformation across many parts of Europe through the late 2000s and early 2010s, before undertaking a huge operation in the lead up to the 2016 US election. Her first book - How to Lose The Information War is both one of the best and worst books I've ever read - I no longer see the world the same way having read it - simply, it pierced the trust and confidence I had in what was real. And when everything could be fake to me, and when everything could be fake to you, and my truth is this and your truth is that, how do we do anything together? At a time when we're bombarded with the impacts of simultaneous crises occurring now, how are we meant to address any of them if none of us have a shared set of facts and a common understanding of reality? The answer - what's happening here and around the world every day.It's hard not to feel dispirited about a tonne of different issues and challenges right now. Both here in Australia where mainstream media institutions seem intent on platforming anti-reality and far right politicians on a daily basis, where protest has been met with unprecedented police violence, where coal mines keep getting approved, and to where a lot of this chat focuses - the USA, which is difficult to comprehend and sad to observe from afar.Nina is a valiant. Courageous and wise beyond her years. What she knows, we all need to know.Links to check out and support Nina's work:American Sunlight ProjectThe Wayfinder - Nina's SubstackAmerican Sunlight Project SubstackHow to Lose The Information War - Russia, Fake News, and the Future of ConflictHow to Be a Woman Online: Surviving Abuse and Harassment and How to Fight BackSupport for the show comes from:Reposit Power - get $500 off your installationAltiorem - get 25% off your annual subscription with code findingnature25Jamberoo Mountain Farm Tiny Home - get Hot Tub Sunset Package for free when you add Finding Nature to booking comments.Send me a messageThanks for listening. Follow Finding Nature on Instagram

Pedro Sánchez's Spain has become a testing ground for all the worst woke ideas. His ‘progressive' coalition has embraced trans ideology and gender self-identification. It is planning to grant legal residency to hundreds of thousands of undocumented migrants. Meanwhile, two fatal train crashes in short succession point to the government's corruption, nepotism and negligence. Yet criticising these failings could soon get a lot more difficult, as ministers are mulling a total ban on X, Elon Musk's free-speech platform, as part of a crackdown on dissenting speech. Here, Barcelona-based journalist Maria Reglero warns that freedom and democracy are on the line. Read spiked: https://www.spiked-online.com/     Support spiked: https://www.spiked-online.com/support/  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

During the First World War, Russia relied on the mass mobilization of its peasant population. In the summer of 1914, approximately four million peasants answered the state's call to arms, while the millions who remained at home donated labour and other resources to the cause. Within three short years these same peasants were refusing to pay taxes or turn over their grain, dooming the autocracy to collapse.The Peasants' War: Russia's Home Front in the First World War and the End of the Autocracy (McGill-Queen's UP, 2025) argues that the experience of total war convinced peasants that the measure of a state's legitimacy was its ability to safeguard the wellbeing of its subjects. When the autocracy failed to meet this standard, peasants rejected its authority by challenging four areas of wartime policy: the prohibition of vodka, the conscription of peasant families' only workers, the redistribution of land belonging to enemy subjects, and the provisioning of the home front. The war awakened peasants to the reciprocal nature of the relationship between a state and its people. Colleen Moore investigates how peasants leveraged their wartime service to negotiate with the state for improved rights and privileges and how they used this power to shape the contours and legitimize the authority of the world's first socialist state.The Peasants' War charts the timing and success of the 1917 Russian Revolution by showing how total war flipped the script on peasant-state relations, transforming the state from something that peasants existed to serve into something that existed to serve peasants. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

During the First World War, Russia relied on the mass mobilization of its peasant population. In the summer of 1914, approximately four million peasants answered the state's call to arms, while the millions who remained at home donated labour and other resources to the cause. Within three short years these same peasants were refusing to pay taxes or turn over their grain, dooming the autocracy to collapse.The Peasants' War: Russia's Home Front in the First World War and the End of the Autocracy (McGill-Queen's UP, 2025) argues that the experience of total war convinced peasants that the measure of a state's legitimacy was its ability to safeguard the wellbeing of its subjects. When the autocracy failed to meet this standard, peasants rejected its authority by challenging four areas of wartime policy: the prohibition of vodka, the conscription of peasant families' only workers, the redistribution of land belonging to enemy subjects, and the provisioning of the home front. The war awakened peasants to the reciprocal nature of the relationship between a state and its people. Colleen Moore investigates how peasants leveraged their wartime service to negotiate with the state for improved rights and privileges and how they used this power to shape the contours and legitimize the authority of the world's first socialist state.The Peasants' War charts the timing and success of the 1917 Russian Revolution by showing how total war flipped the script on peasant-state relations, transforming the state from something that peasants existed to serve into something that existed to serve peasants. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/history

During the First World War, Russia relied on the mass mobilization of its peasant population. In the summer of 1914, approximately four million peasants answered the state's call to arms, while the millions who remained at home donated labour and other resources to the cause. Within three short years these same peasants were refusing to pay taxes or turn over their grain, dooming the autocracy to collapse.The Peasants' War: Russia's Home Front in the First World War and the End of the Autocracy (McGill-Queen's UP, 2025) argues that the experience of total war convinced peasants that the measure of a state's legitimacy was its ability to safeguard the wellbeing of its subjects. When the autocracy failed to meet this standard, peasants rejected its authority by challenging four areas of wartime policy: the prohibition of vodka, the conscription of peasant families' only workers, the redistribution of land belonging to enemy subjects, and the provisioning of the home front. The war awakened peasants to the reciprocal nature of the relationship between a state and its people. Colleen Moore investigates how peasants leveraged their wartime service to negotiate with the state for improved rights and privileges and how they used this power to shape the contours and legitimize the authority of the world's first socialist state.The Peasants' War charts the timing and success of the 1917 Russian Revolution by showing how total war flipped the script on peasant-state relations, transforming the state from something that peasants existed to serve into something that existed to serve peasants. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/military-history

During the First World War, Russia relied on the mass mobilization of its peasant population. In the summer of 1914, approximately four million peasants answered the state's call to arms, while the millions who remained at home donated labour and other resources to the cause. Within three short years these same peasants were refusing to pay taxes or turn over their grain, dooming the autocracy to collapse.The Peasants' War: Russia's Home Front in the First World War and the End of the Autocracy (McGill-Queen's UP, 2025) argues that the experience of total war convinced peasants that the measure of a state's legitimacy was its ability to safeguard the wellbeing of its subjects. When the autocracy failed to meet this standard, peasants rejected its authority by challenging four areas of wartime policy: the prohibition of vodka, the conscription of peasant families' only workers, the redistribution of land belonging to enemy subjects, and the provisioning of the home front. The war awakened peasants to the reciprocal nature of the relationship between a state and its people. Colleen Moore investigates how peasants leveraged their wartime service to negotiate with the state for improved rights and privileges and how they used this power to shape the contours and legitimize the authority of the world's first socialist state.The Peasants' War charts the timing and success of the 1917 Russian Revolution by showing how total war flipped the script on peasant-state relations, transforming the state from something that peasants existed to serve into something that existed to serve peasants. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/russian-studies

During the First World War, Russia relied on the mass mobilization of its peasant population. In the summer of 1914, approximately four million peasants answered the state's call to arms, while the millions who remained at home donated labour and other resources to the cause. Within three short years these same peasants were refusing to pay taxes or turn over their grain, dooming the autocracy to collapse.The Peasants' War: Russia's Home Front in the First World War and the End of the Autocracy (McGill-Queen's UP, 2025) argues that the experience of total war convinced peasants that the measure of a state's legitimacy was its ability to safeguard the wellbeing of its subjects. When the autocracy failed to meet this standard, peasants rejected its authority by challenging four areas of wartime policy: the prohibition of vodka, the conscription of peasant families' only workers, the redistribution of land belonging to enemy subjects, and the provisioning of the home front. The war awakened peasants to the reciprocal nature of the relationship between a state and its people. Colleen Moore investigates how peasants leveraged their wartime service to negotiate with the state for improved rights and privileges and how they used this power to shape the contours and legitimize the authority of the world's first socialist state.The Peasants' War charts the timing and success of the 1917 Russian Revolution by showing how total war flipped the script on peasant-state relations, transforming the state from something that peasants existed to serve into something that existed to serve peasants. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/eastern-european-studies

This is philanthropy's rainy day.Across communities, the escalation of ICE activity is terrifying. Families are living in fear. Core pillars of our democracy are under attack. Meanwhile, too many funders are still holding back, waiting for a crisis that's already here.In this episode, Glen and Ralph Lewin weigh in on why escalating ICE actions should be a wake-up call for philanthropy to step up in real ways to protect our communities. They challenge the persistent myth that philanthropy must conserve resources for a future emergency.Spoiler alert: this is the emergency.Special guest, Skye Perryman, President and CEO of Democracy Forward, joins the conversation to share how ongoing litigation is actively defending our democracy. Skye brings both urgency and hope—reminding us that, despite efforts to flood the zone, the people are winning more than they're losing. But we will only win if philanthropy fully funds the legal, advocacy, and organizing efforts that make those wins possible.

Political theorist Yascha Mounk returns to assess whether the United States is sliding toward autocracy or demonstrating institutional resilience under pressure. He argues that while the Trump administration's actions have been more extreme than expected, courts, elections, and a decentralized system have so far acted as real constraints rather than hollow rituals, a case he first laid out in The People vs. Democracy: Why Our Freedom Is in Danger and How to Save It. Mounk also warns against exaggeration that fuels anticipatory obedience, even as he concedes the next three years remain an open test of democratic durability. Plus, Britain's Epstein reckoning, where Keir Starmer loses top aides over ties to Jeffrey Epstein, while close associations in Epstein's own country (the USA) don't matter. Produced by Corey Wara Video and Social Media by Geoff Craig Do you have questions or comments, or just want to say hello? Email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠thegist@mikepesca.com For full Pesca content and updates, check out our website at https://www.mikepesca.com/⁠ For ad-free content or to become a Pesca Plus subscriber, check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://subscribe.mikepesca.com/ For Mike's daily takes on Substack, subscribe to The Gist List https://mikepesca.substack.com/ Follow us on Social Media:⁠⁠⁠⁠ YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4_bh0wHgk2YfpKf4rg40_g⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/pescagist/ X https://x.com/pescami TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@pescagist To advertise on the show, contact ⁠⁠⁠⁠ad-sales@libsyn.com⁠⁠⁠⁠ or visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://advertising.libsyn.com/TheGist

On today's show, host Esty Dinur is joined by friend of the program, Norman Solomon, to discuss the status of the Democratic Party. His new book is The Blue Road to Trump Hell: How Corporate Democrats Paved the Way for Autocracy and it is available for free online. Solomon says we need a stronger Democratic Party–a progressive Democratic Party–to stop fascism and prevent a Vance presidency. It's not feasible to stop xenophobia and misogyny with neoliberal centrism, as with Biden and Harris's campaigns, says Solomon. At the top, the Democratic Party is pro-military, pro-corporations. Too often, centrist Democrats work against progressives, as with NAFTA and the Crime Bill that  accelerated mass incarceration. Though Biden did some good work while in office, he ultimately folded when it came to the Build Back Better Act. Instead, we need strong Democratic leadership “that fights like hell for working people, children, the elderly, and the infirm.” They also discuss how corporate paywalls keep information inaccessible to regular people, how RFK is “viciously anti-Palestinian” and anti-democratic, Bernie Sander's success in calling out plutocracy and corporate greed, Mamdani's success in New York City, and the status of the DHS budget. Norman Solomon is a journalist, media critic, author and activist. He's the National Director of RootsAction and the Executive Director of the Institute for Public Accuracy.  His book War Made Invisible: How America Hides the Human Toll of Its Military Machine was published in 2023. In a starred review, Kirkus Reviews called the book “a powerful, necessary indictment of efforts to disguise the human toll of American foreign policy.” Norman's dozen other books include War Made Easy: How Presidents and Pundits Keep Spinning Us to Death. Featured image of the cover of Norman Solomon's most recent book, The Blue Road to Trump Hell: How Corporate Democrats Paved the Way for Autocracy. Did you enjoy this story? Your funding makes great, local journalism like this possible. Donate hereThe post Why We Need to Complain About Democrats appeared first on WORT-FM 89.9.

What do the ICE operations in Minneapolis reveal about a broader shift in the exercise of state power? This week, Pulitzer Prize–winning historian, The Atlantic staff writer, and Autocracy in America podcast host Anne Applebaum joins Preet Bharara to discuss why Minneapolis has galvanized people in a way few events have in the Trump era, and why our closest allies now say the word for this moment is “rupture.” Plus, Applebaum explains why she believes the better comparison for the second Trump administration isn't conservatism—it's Bolshevism. Then, Preet answers your questions about the FBI's seizure of election ballots in Fulton County, Georgia, and the risks of refusing to pay taxes as a political protest. In the bonus for Insiders, Anne and Preet take a trip around the globe—from the war in Ukraine to Trump's Greenland fixation to the uncertain future of Venezuela after Maduro. Join the CAFE Insider community to stay informed without hysteria, fear-mongering, or rage-baiting. Head to cafe.com/insider to sign up. Thank you for supporting our work. Show notes and a transcript of the episode are available on our website.  You can now watch this episode! Head to CAFE's Youtube channel and subscribe. Shop Stay Tuned merch and featured books by our guests in our Amazon storefront. Have a question for Preet? Ask @PreetBharara on BlueSky, or Twitter with the hashtag #AskPreet. Email us at staytuned@cafe.com, or call 833-997-7338 to leave a voicemail. Stay Tuned with Preet is brought to you by CAFE and the Vox Media Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On January 29, Pulitzer Prize-winning historian, journalist, and author of "Autocracy, Inc." Anne Applebaum and journalist, lawyer, and founder of the "Popular Information" newsletter Judd Legum joined moderator Charlie Sykes, author of the "To the Contrary" newsletter and podcast, for a timely discussion on how political power is being reshaped in the U.S. and globally—and what it means for democracy.The conversation examined how democratic institutions are increasingly undermined through gradual, legal changes that concentrate power, weaken accountability, and reward loyalty over principle. Speakers emphasized that the greatest danger lies not in any single leader, but in systems that normalize corruption, disinformation, and politicized governance.Ukraine emerged as a critical test of democratic resolve, highlighting the global stakes of the moment.The discussion concluded with a clear warning and reminder: democracy does not sustain itself—it survives only when citizens choose to defend it.CALL TO ACTION:Support Joyce Uptown Foodshelf (https://www.joyceuptownfoodshelf.org/)Support MIRAC (https://www.givemn.org/organization/M...)Check out Anne's newsletter “Open Letters, from Anne Applebaum”: https://anneapplebaum.substack.com/Explore Judd's newsletter “Popular Information”: https://popular.info/Visit Charlie's newsletter and podcast “To the Contrary”: https://charliesykes.substack.com/ABOUT THE SPEAKERS:Anne Applebaum is staff writer for The Atlantic and author of the best-selling 2020 book "Twilight of Democracy: The Seductive Lure of Authoritarianism" and her latest book "Autocracy, Inc." Applebaum is also a senior fellow at the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies and the SNF Agora Institute, where she co-directs Arena, a program on disinformation and 21st-century propaganda.Judd Legum is the founder and author of "Popular Information", an independent newsletter dedicated to accountability journalism. Popular Information won the 2020 Online Journalism Award for Excellence in Newsletters, and the 2025 David Nyhan Prize for Public Policy Journalism. Its reporting was credited by Bloomberg for bringing a “political reckoning” to corporate America. Previously, Legum founded and served as editor-in-chief of "ThinkProgress", a progressive media outlet. In 2008, Legum was the research director for Hillary Clinton's first presidential campaign. He is a graduate of Georgetown University Law Center and Pomona College.Charlie Sykes is the author of the Substack newsletter, "To the Contrary", and contributes to The Atlantic and MSNBC. His most recent book, "How the Right Lost Its Mind", published by St. Martin's Press, was released in October 2017.Sykes has written for The New York Times, The Atlantic, The Weekly Standard, The Washington Post, Commentary, The Wall Street Journal, Politico, The Los Angeles Times, Newsweek, Time.com, USA Today, National Review, The New York Review of Books, the New York Daily News, and other national publications. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bigtentnews.substack.com

AP correspondent Karen Chammas reports on German Chancellor Friedrich Merz telling colleagues in a speech at the Bundestag that the European Union is the alternative to imperialism and autocracy.

Today's guest is Jennifer Lind,  an associate professor of government at Dartmouth, a fellow at Chatham House London, and the author of the new book Autocracy 2.0: How China's Rise Reinvented Tyranny, just out from Cornell Press. The book introduces the concept of 'smart authoritarianism,' a strategy that seeks to preserve political dominance while minimizing the economic damage of repression. It's a sharp and unsettling argument—and one that is worth considering as a wave of autocratization continues to sweep across the globe, increasingly enabled by new technologies.

Professor Kim Scheppele has spent much of her career watching democracies rise and fall. She went to Hungary in the early 1990s expecting to study democratic optimism after the fall of the Berlin Wall. Instead, decades later, she found herself documenting how constitutional democracy can be dismantled from the inside out.That experience frames a wide-ranging conversation on the latest episode of Stanford Legal, where host Professor Pam Karlan speaks with Scheppele, the Lawrence S. Rockefeller Professor of Sociology and International Affairs at Princeton and a visiting professor at Stanford Law School, about how democracies crumble, and why the United States is not exempt.Drawing on years of on-the-ground research in Hungary, Russia, and other countries, Scheppele explains a central shift in democratic collapse: it no longer arrives through overt rupture, but through elections followed by legal and constitutional maneuvering. Leaders campaign as democrats, win office, and then use technical changes to the law, including court rules, budgetary controls, and civil-service structures, to weaken checks and rig the system in their favor.The discussion turns to the United States, examining how party polarization, shifting institutional loyalties, and expanding claims of executive power have made familiar safeguards less reliable than many assumed.Links:Kim Scheppele >>> Stanford Law pageConnect:Episode Transcripts >>> Stanford Legal Podcast WebsiteStanford Legal Podcast >>> LinkedIn PageRich Ford >>>  Twitter/XPam Karlan >>> Stanford Law School PageDiego Zambrano >>> Stanford Law School PageStanford Law School >>> Twitter/XStanford Lawyer Magazine >>> Twitter/X (00:00:00)  Learning in Wartime: A scholar's antidote to the “cataract of nonsense”(00:08:17) Patterns abroad and at home—are U.S. checks in danger?(00:15:04) Naming the playbook(00:32:07) More litigation—access, risk, and the pace of change(00:32:39) Restoring democracy through law Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

For a deeper look at President Trump's speech in Davos and what it signals to the rest of the world, we return to our On Democracy series. It explores the laws, institutions and norms that have shaped America, and the pressures they face today. Amna Nawaz spoke with Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and historian Anne Applebaum, host of The Atlantic's "Autocracy in America" podcast. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

For a deeper look at President Trump's speech in Davos and what it signals to the rest of the world, we return to our On Democracy series. It explores the laws, institutions and norms that have shaped America, and the pressures they face today. Amna Nawaz spoke with Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and historian Anne Applebaum, host of The Atlantic's "Autocracy in America" podcast. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Last week, a war powers resolution that would require congressional approval for military action in Venezuela died on the Senate floor after Vice President Vance cast the tie-breaking vote. The Supreme Court heard oral arguments in cases regarding trans athletes participating in women's sports. And, ICE continues controversial immigration enforcement in Minneapolis. Mike Cosper and Clarissa Moll discuss these headlines, and Mike sits down with Pulitzer Prize-winning historian and journalist Anne Applebaum as she shares an analysis on Russia's war in Ukraine. REFERENCED IN THE SHOW:  -Listen to the first episode of the new season of Autocracy in America, hosted by Anne Applebaum. GO DEEPER WITH THE BULLETIN:  -Join the conversation at our Substack.  -Find us on YouTube.  -Rate and review the show in your podcast app of choice.  ABOUT THE GUESTS:  Anne Applebaum is the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Gulag: A History. She is staff writer at The Atlantic and a senior fellow at the SNF Agora Institute at Johns Hopkins University. Her most recent books include the New York Times best sellers Twilight of Democracy and Autocracy, Inc: The Dictators Who Want to Run the World. She was a Washington Post columnist for 15 years and a member of the editorial board.  ABOUT THE BULLETIN:  The Bulletin is a twice-weekly politics and current events show from Christianity Today moderated by Clarissa Moll, with senior commentary from Russell Moore (Christianity Today's editor-at-large and columnist) and Mike Cosper (senior contributor). Each week, the show explores current events and breaking news and shares a Christian perspective on issues that are shaping our world. We also offer special one-on-one conversations with writers, artists, and thought leaders whose impact on the world brings important significance to a Christian worldview, like Bono, Sharon McMahon, Harrison Scott Key, Frank Bruni, and more.    The Bulletin listeners get 25% off CT. Go to https://orderct.com/THEBULLETIN to learn more.    “The Bulletin” is a production of Christianity Today  Producer: Clarissa Moll  Associate Producer: Alexa Burke  Editing and Mix: Kevin Morris Graphic Design: Rick Szuecs Music: Dan Phelps  Executive Producer: Erik Petrik  Senior Producer: Matt Stevens Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

January, 18 2026, 9AM; This past week numerous Democrats in Congress have revealed that they are under investigation by Trump's Justice Department over their protected speech in telling military members that they can refuse illegal orders. The same DOJ has launched criminal investigations into Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey for speaking out against the ongoing immigration crackdown in their state. Liz Oyer and Ty Cobb join The Weekend to discuss the Trump Administration's autocratic approach to governance.For more, follow us on social media:Bluesky: @theweekendmsnow.bsky.socialInstagram: @theweekendmsnowTikTok: @theweekendmsnow To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

News and Society & Culture - The Atlantic

Leah kicks off the episode with repeat guest Rebecca Ingber of Cardozo Law to discuss the wild illegality–both domestic and international–of Trump's regime change operation in Venezuela. Then, Kate, Melissa, and Leah welcome Princeton professor and expert on the rise of modern autocracies, Kim Lane Scheppele to break down how Trump is consolidating power over the executive branch and the courts. Leah next catches up with president and CEO of Democracy Forward Skye Perryman on some of the legal developments over the holidays, including challenges to Department of Education funding cuts, the freezing of childcare payments to Minnesota, and a near-total abortion ban for veterans. Finally, the hosts speak with Demand Justice's Josh Orton about the worrying trends his organization is seeing among Trump 2.0's judicial nominees.Kim's favorite things: An “Almost Sacred Responsibility”: The Rule of Law in Times of Peril, Gerald J. Postema (Judicature); Judge Harvey Wilkinson's opinion in Abrego Garcia v. Noem; Judge William G. Young's opinion in AAUP vs. Rubio; Sara L. Ellis's opinion in Chicago Headline Club v. Noem; The Dual State, Ernst Fraenkel; The Origins of Totalitarianism, Hannah Arendt Get tickets for STRICT SCRUTINY LIVE – The Bad Decisions Tour 2026! 3/6/26 – San Francisco3/7/26 – Los AngelesLearn more: http://crooked.com/eventsBuy Leah's book, Lawless: How the Supreme Court Runs on Conservative Grievance, Fringe Theories, and Bad VibesFollow us on Instagram, Threads, and Bluesky Get tickets for STRICT SCRUTINY LIVE – The Bad Decisions Tour 2025! 3/6/26 – San Francisco3/7/26 – Los AngelesLearn more: http://crooked.com/eventsOrder your copy of Leah's book, Lawless: How the Supreme Court Runs on Conservative Grievance, Fringe Theories, and Bad VibesFollow us on Instagram, Threads, and Bluesky Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In a special new year retrospective, Amicus host Dahlia Lithwick revisits an important episode from early 2025. Back at the beginning of February, Kim Lane Scheppele, the Laurance S. Rockefeller Professor of Sociology and International affairs at Princeton University, pointed to  the speed and viciousness of the very opening legal gambits in Trump 2.0 as evidence that America had already switched over to the fast track for autocracy on January 20th, 2025. An expert in the law of autocracy, Scheppele has seen firsthand what happened to constitutional courts, the media, the academy and the democratic norms that protected them in Russia and Hungary. In this interview, Scheppelle explains how Trump's executive orders on everything from government funding to transgender people in the military reveal a familiar global playbook that has chillingly familiar endpoints.  Want more Amicus? Join Slate Plus to unlock weekly bonus episodes with exclusive legal analysis. Plus, you'll access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. You can subscribe directly from the Amicus show page on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Or, visit slate.com/amicusplus to get access wherever you listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In a special new year retrospective, Amicus host Dahlia Lithwick revisits an important episode from early 2025. Back at the beginning of February, Kim Lane Scheppele, the Laurance S. Rockefeller Professor of Sociology and International affairs at Princeton University, pointed to  the speed and viciousness of the very opening legal gambits in Trump 2.0 as evidence that America had already switched over to the fast track for autocracy on January 20th, 2025. An expert in the law of autocracy, Scheppele has seen firsthand what happened to constitutional courts, the media, the academy and the democratic norms that protected them in Russia and Hungary. In this interview, Scheppelle explains how Trump's executive orders on everything from government funding to transgender people in the military reveal a familiar global playbook that has chillingly familiar endpoints.  Want more Amicus? Join Slate Plus to unlock weekly bonus episodes with exclusive legal analysis. Plus, you'll access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. You can subscribe directly from the Amicus show page on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Or, visit slate.com/amicusplus to get access wherever you listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In a special new year retrospective, Amicus host Dahlia Lithwick revisits an important episode from early 2025. Back at the beginning of February, Kim Lane Scheppele, the Laurance S. Rockefeller Professor of Sociology and International affairs at Princeton University, pointed to  the speed and viciousness of the very opening legal gambits in Trump 2.0 as evidence that America had already switched over to the fast track for autocracy on January 20th, 2025. An expert in the law of autocracy, Scheppele has seen firsthand what happened to constitutional courts, the media, the academy and the democratic norms that protected them in Russia and Hungary. In this interview, Scheppelle explains how Trump's executive orders on everything from government funding to transgender people in the military reveal a familiar global playbook that has chillingly familiar endpoints.  Want more Amicus? Join Slate Plus to unlock weekly bonus episodes with exclusive legal analysis. Plus, you'll access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. You can subscribe directly from the Amicus show page on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Or, visit slate.com/amicusplus to get access wherever you listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What does this year look like for the future of British politics? How is the global order going to be reshaped? And will the power of historical narratives become even stronger this year? Listen as Rory and Alastair answer these questions and more. __________ The Rest Is Politics is powered by Fuse Energy. Fuse are giving away FREE TRIP+ membership for all of 2025 to new sign ups

Original Air Date: 6/9/25 Trump's deployment of the National Guard to California is not just about immigration and Los Angeles - it is a damning step in his long-lasting effort to to exploit and deploy the U.S. military to act as his own personal police force. Miles Taylor, former DHS Chief of Staff who endured persecution for his criticisms of the Trump administration, joins Norm Ornstein and David Rothkopf to discuss the disastrous implications of Los Angeles and explain why “people should be more worried about this than anything they've seen so far in the second Trump administration.” Tune in here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Original Air Date: 6/9/25 Trump's deployment of the National Guard to California is not just about immigration and Los Angeles - it is a damning step in his long-lasting effort to to exploit and deploy the U.S. military to act as his own personal police force. Miles Taylor, former DHS Chief of Staff who endured persecution for his criticisms of the Trump administration, joins Norm Ornstein and David Rothkopf to discuss the disastrous implications of Los Angeles and explain why “people should be more worried about this than anything they've seen so far in the second Trump administration.” Tune in here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Qophii torbsn kanaa keessatti waahee jaarmayaa siyaasaa, jaarmayaa aadaa filmaataafi Autocracy irratti yaada dhuunfaa isiniin qooddadha.Dhihaadhaa!

ABC foreign correspondent Stephanie March has explored the tensions between elephant tourism in Botswana and the destruction the creatures bring to local communities. She's brought us a glimpse of Gaza, where children live in tents and she's walked the streets of Georgia, as fears grow about the influence of Russia and a slide towards autocracy. This week, Sam Hawley is joined by ABC presenters and journalists to discuss their best stories and interviews from 2025.Today, Stephanie March from the ABC's Foreign Correspondent program on her heart warming and heart breaking global stories.

本期摘要 友友们冬天好！不知不觉已经十二月了，我们从今天起想跟大家分享一系列年度书影音总结类型的节目，第一期先来聊聊2025年看过最喜欢的书。希望你们听得开心，我们很快再见！ 本期提及 Nobody's Girl: A Memoir of Surviving Abuse and Fighting for Justice by Virginia Roberts Giuffre Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell Odyssey by Homer The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid Atmosphere: A Love Story by Taylor Jenkins Reid The Safekeep by Yael van der wouden Elena Knows by Claudia Piñeiro 《埃莱娜知道》 Intermezzo by Sally Rooney Kairos by Jenny Erpenbeck Raising Hare: A Memoir by Chloe Dalton 《金山的成色》 张辰极 冠绝文学史的恋爱脑：读安妮·埃尔诺的情欲告白 Motherland: A Feminist History of Modern Russia, from Revolution to Autocracy by Julia Ioffe The Marriage Plot by Jeffrey Eugenides 《婚变》 The Virgin Suicide & Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides 《在北海道盖面包屋：建筑家与面包师的书信集》中村好文，神幸纪 Everything Is Tuberculosis by John Green 《星运里的错》& 《寻找阿拉斯加》by John Green Careless People：A Story of Where I Used to Work by Sarah Wynn-Williams This Is How You Lose the Time War Amal by El-Mohtar & Max Gladstone 《输掉时间战争的方法》 Feeding Ghosts: A Graphic Memoir by Tessa Hulls 《鼠族》 阿特·斯皮格曼 Things in Nature Merely Grow by Yiyun Li Art Work: On the Creative Life by Sally Mann 《火车梦》《耶稣之子》 丹尼斯约翰逊 Flagrant, Self-Destructive Gestures: A Biography of Denis Johnson Ansel Adams's Photographs of Japanese-American Internment at Manzanar The Afterlife is Letting Go & The Grave On the Wall by Brandon Shimoda Homeland: The War on Terror in American Life by Richard Beck The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny by Kiran Desai 节目备注 好小气的电报频道 好小气的长毛象 支持我们 订阅听友通讯请点击这里。 欢迎通过微博关注我们的节目@不丧Podcast和女主播@constancy好小气。

Indivisible's Ezra Levin and Hungarian organizer László Upor share creative, community-driven tactics — from joyful protests to bold campus actions — that pushed back against autocratic agendas. Their message: you have more power than you think.Make a tax deductible YEAR END DONATION and become a member go to LauraFlanders.org/donate. This show is made possible by you! Description: If you care about resisting autocracy and building democracy, the U.S. has much to learn from Hungary. While Donald Trump rails against Europe, he and Hungary's strongman leader, Viktor Orbán, have praised each other for years. Anti-democratic, anti-immigrant, anti-woman, anti-queer — Orbán and Trump came to power on parallel tracks with similar values. In their first interview together, Ezra Levin, the co-founder of Indivisible (the group behind No Kings!) and László Upor, a leader in one of Hungary's most creative and visible resistance efforts, share their experiences of resisting authoritarianism. Upor is former Vice Rector and Acting Rector of the University of Theatre and Film Arts in Budapest — the one university that fought back when the Orbán administration began taking control of Hungary's universities. Levin is the co-founder and co-executive director of Indivisible, the grassroots movement behind such protests as the historic Hands Off and No Kings rallies. From the principles of their organizing to frog suits and caution tape, today's episode is a masterclass in creative resistance. Plus a commentary from Laura.“Our enemy in this isn't Trump, it's not the Republicans. It's not the broader regime. Our enemy is this sense of cynicism or fatalism or nihilism . . . I do think a core principle in our communication philosophy is convincing people, you have power, you just gotta use it. The best way to use it is in concert with a lot of other people in your community.” - Ezra Levin“You have to laugh at them, not be afraid of them . . . They don't understand mirth. They don't understand the derision. They think they are invincible. And when we don't give in, they don't understand what's going on.” - László UpperGuests:• Ezra Levin: Co-Founder & Co-Executive Director, Indivisible• László Upor: Former Vice Rector & Acting Rector, University of Theatre and Film Arts (SzFE), Budapest, HungaryListen to the full uncut conversation in this podcast feed.Watch the episode released on YouTube, PBS World Channel, and on over 300 public stations across the country (check your listings, or search here via zipcode). Listen: Episode airing on community radio (check here to see if your station airs the show) & available as a podcast.Full Episode Notes are located HERE.Music Credit: “Give In to What is Real” by STR4TA from their album Aspects released on Brownswood Recordings, "Steppin" by Podington Bear, and original sound design by Jeannie HopperSupport Laura Flanders and Friends by becoming a member at https://www.patreon.com/c/lauraflandersandfriends RESOURCES:* Recommended Book:“We Are Indivisible: A Blueprint for Democracy After Trump” by Leah Greenberg and Ezra Levin, Get the Book*(*Bookshop is an online bookstore with a mission to financially support local, independent bookstores. The LF Show is an affiliate of bookshop.org and will receive a small commission if you click through and make a purchase.) Related Laura Flanders Show Episodes:• Congresswoman Jayapal & Marine Veteran Goldbeck: Standing Together Against the Administration's War on Civilians:  Watch / Listen:  Full uncut interview and Episode cut• Masha Gessen & Jason Stanley: Is it Doomsday for U.S. Democracy?: Watch / Listen:  Full uncut interview and Episode cut • Dolores Huerta & Ellen Gavin: Creative Courage in the Face of Fascism:  Watch / Listen:  Full uncut interview and Episode cut   Related Articles and Resources:•  Indivisible:  A Practical Guide to Democracy on the Brink:  Strategies, Tactics, & Tips for How Everyday Americans Can Fight Back Together Wherever We Live, lead authors Leah & Ezra -co-founders of Indivisible, Download the PDF and Audio Version•  The Three R's Framework by Scot Nakagawa, October 1, 2025, Substack•. Countering Authocratization:  Lessons from the 2025 Harvard Nonviolent Action Lab Summit, October 16, 2025, Harvard Kennedy School:  Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation•  Learning Republic: Students and Teachers from Hungary's Theater and Film University Build an Alternative to Autocracy, by Alisa Solomon, Theater Magazine•  The Government Took Over Their University.  Here's How These Students Fought Back, by Todd London, September 16, 2025, Howlround Theatre Commons• How to save the news.  The internet has become a tool of misinformation and mass surveillance.  A global initiative seeks to change that. by Marta Peirano, November 5, 2025, Prospect Avenue•  Artists Against Authoritarianism: A Talk by László Upor, September 2, 2025, Columbia University School of the Arts Laura Flanders and Friends Crew: Laura Flanders-Executive Producer, Writer; Sabrina Artel-Supervising Producer; Jeremiah Cothren-Senior Producer; Veronica Delgado-Video Editor, Janet Hernandez-Communications Director; Jeannie Hopper-Audio Director, Podcast & Radio Producer, Audio Editor, Sound Design, Narrator; Sarah Miller-Development Director, Nat Needham-Editor, Graphic Design emeritus; David Neuman-Senior Video Editor, and Rory O'Conner-Senior Consulting Producer. FOLLOW Laura Flanders and FriendsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauraflandersandfriends/Blueky: https://bsky.app/profile/lfandfriends.bsky.socialFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/LauraFlandersAndFriends/Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lauraflandersandfriendsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFLRxVeYcB1H7DbuYZQG-lgLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lauraflandersandfriendsPatreon: https://www.patreon.com/lauraflandersandfriendsACCESSIBILITY - The broadcast edition of this episode is available with closed captioned by clicking here for our YouTube Channel

Synopsis:  If you're worried about authoritarianism, this episode reminds you that people-powered resistance still wins. Indivisible's Ezra Levin and Hungarian organizer László Upor share creative, community-driven tactics — from joyful protests to bold campus actions — that pushed back against autocratic agendas. Their message: you have more power than you think.Make a tax deductible YEAR END DONATION and become a member go to LauraFlanders.org/donate. This show is made possible by you! Description: If you care about resisting autocracy and building democracy, the U.S. has much to learn from Hungary. While Donald Trump rails against Europe, he and Hungary's strongman leader, Viktor Orbán, have praised each other for years. Anti-democratic, anti-immigrant, anti-woman, anti-queer — Orbán and Trump came to power on parallel tracks with similar values. In their first interview together, Ezra Levin, the co-founder of Indivisible (the group behind No Kings!) and László Upor, a leader in one of Hungary's most creative and visible resistance efforts, share their experiences of resisting authoritarianism. Upor is former Vice Rector and Acting Rector of the University of Theatre and Film Arts in Budapest — the one university that fought back when the Orbán administration began taking control of Hungary's universities. Levin is the co-founder and co-executive director of Indivisible, the grassroots movement behind such protests as the historic Hands Off and No Kings rallies. From the principles of their organizing to frog suits and caution tape, today's episode is a masterclass in creative resistance. Plus a commentary from Laura.“Our enemy in this isn't Trump, it's not the Republicans. It's not the broader regime. Our enemy is this sense of cynicism or fatalism or nihilism . . . I do think a core principle in our communication philosophy is convincing people, you have power, you just gotta use it. The best way to use it is in concert with a lot of other people in your community.” - Ezra Levin“You have to laugh at them, not be afraid of them . . . They don't understand mirth. They don't understand the derision. They think they are invincible. And when we don't give in, they don't understand what's going on.” - László UpperGuests:• Ezra Levin: Co-Founder & Co-Executive Director, Indivisible• László Upor: Former Vice Rector & Acting Rector, University of Theatre and Film Arts (SzFE), Budapest, Hungary Watch the episode released on YouTube; PBS World Channel December 14th, and on over 300 public stations across the country (check your listings, or search here via zipcode). Listen: Episode airing on community radio (check here to see if your station airs the show) & available as a podcast December 17th.Full Episode Notes are located HERE.Music Credit:  'Thrum of Soil' by Bluedot Sessions, 'Steppin' by Podington Bear, and original sound design by Jeannie HopperSupport Laura Flanders and Friends by becoming a member at https://www.patreon.com/c/lauraflandersandfriends RESOURCES:* Recommended Book:“We Are Indivisible: A Blueprint for Democracy After Trump” by Leah Greenberg and Ezra Levin, Get the Book*(*Bookshop is an online bookstore with a mission to financially support local, independent bookstores. The LF Show is an affiliate of bookshop.org and will receive a small commission if you click through and make a purchase.) Related Laura Flanders Show Episodes:• Congresswoman Jayapal & Marine Veteran Goldbeck: Standing Together Against the Administration's War on Civilians:  Watch / Listen:  Full uncut interview and Episode cut• Masha Gessen & Jason Stanley: Is it Doomsday for U.S. Democracy?: Watch / Listen:  Full uncut interview and Episode cut • Dolores Huerta & Ellen Gavin: Creative Courage in the Face of Fascism:  Watch / Listen:  Full uncut interview and Episode cut   Related Articles and Resources:•  Indivisible:  A Practical Guide to Democracy on the Brink:  Strategies, Tactics, & Tips for How Everyday Americans Can Fight Back Together Wherever We Live, lead authors Leah & Ezra -co-founders of Indivisible, Download the PDF and Audio Version•  The Three R's Framework by Scot Nakagawa, October 1, 2025, Substack•. Countering Authocratization:  Lessons from the 2025 Harvard Nonviolent Action Lab Summit, October 16, 2025, Harvard Kennedy School:  Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation•  Learning Republic: Students and Teachers from Hungary's Theater and Film University Build an Alternative to Autocracy, by Alisa Solomon, Theater Magazine•  The Government Took Over Their University.  Here's How These Students Fought Back, by Todd London, September 16, 2025, Howlround Theatre Commons• How to save the news.  The internet has become a tool of misinformation and mass surveillance.  A global initiative seeks to change that. by Marta Peirano, November 5, 2025, Prospect Avenue•  Artists Against Authoritarianism: A Talk by László Upor, September 2, 2025, Columbia University School of the Arts  Laura Flanders and Friends Crew: Laura Flanders-Executive Producer, Writer; Sabrina Artel-Supervising Producer; Jeremiah Cothren-Senior Producer; Veronica Delgado-Video Editor, Janet Hernandez-Communications Director; Jeannie Hopper-Audio Director, Podcast & Radio Producer, Audio Editor, Sound Design, Narrator; Sarah Miller-Development Director, Nat Needham-Editor, Graphic Design emeritus; David Neuman-Senior Video Editor, and Rory O'Conner-Senior Consulting Producer. FOLLOW Laura Flanders and FriendsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauraflandersandfriends/Blueky: https://bsky.app/profile/lfandfriends.bsky.socialFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/LauraFlandersAndFriends/Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lauraflandersandfriendsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFLRxVeYcB1H7DbuYZQG-lgLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lauraflandersandfriendsPatreon: https://www.patreon.com/lauraflandersandfriendsACCESSIBILITY - The broadcast edition of this episode is available with closed captioned by clicking here for our YouTube Channel

Norman Solomon new book is The Blue Road to Trump Hell: How Corporate Democrats Paved the Way for Autocracy.

One of the most essential conversations we've had — on authoritarianism, influence campaigns, and what it takes to defend democracy. In this ICYMI release, Corey revisits his conversation with Anne Applebaum — Pulitzer Prize–winning historian, staff writer at The Atlantic, and one of the world's leading experts on modern authoritarianism. Anne explains how autocrats collaborate across borders, why propaganda spreads so easily, how economic complicity in the West has empowered illiberal regimes, and what ordinary citizens can actually do to strengthen democratic culture. If you're new to TP&R thanks to Podbean, Overcast or were recommended this program by a friend, this conversation is the perfect introduction: rigorous, accessible, global in scope, and grounded in the belief that democratic values are worth defending.

The Decline of Democracy: Autocracy and Oligarchy on the Rise. Gaius and Germanicus discuss Michael McFaul's hypothesis that democracy is in recession and autocracy is ascendant. Germanicus concurs, blaming "Blue" (Democrats) for pursuing steps that strip the nation of its Republican character, including efforts to control media and censor, which he terms "creeping authoritarianism." He cites examples like a two-tier justice system and the pursuit of "thought crimes" (e.g., silent praying outside an abortion clinic) in the US and UK. Germanicus believes the US is heading toward a "brutal oligarchy" controlled by a ruling class, rather than a classic autocracy. Gaius asks if autocratic models, such as Chinese capitalism, are appealing to allies. Germanicus confirms that certain nations (like the expanding BRICS) view China and Russia as providing a better model for societal progress, especially given the US's poor global reputation since 2001. Furthermore, neoliberalism benefits only the very wealthy, creating devastating wealth inequality akin to the ancien régime before the French Revolution. Projecting 100 years ahead, Germanicus believes the US will likely be an "oligarchic autocracy" and an empire competing as a trans-Pacific/transatlantic block against a Eurasian block. They agree that modern technology, capable of tracking thoughts and speech, is an "enormously powerful instrument" supporting this autocratic trend. Germanicus notes that moralizing about dictators and "saving democracy" will persist, but merely as a means to keep the population passive and quiet, labeling modern censorship as highly Orwellian. They conclude they are living through a transformation from kingship to democracy, now moving toward autocracy. 80 BCE. SULLA 

The former U.S. ambassador to Russia, Michael McFaul, has been analyzing the rise of autocracies and the threats they pose to democracy for decades. Amna Nawaz sat down with McFaul to discuss his new book, “Autocrats vs. Democrats: China, Russia, America, and the New Global Disorder.” PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy