About this episode

Richard Hanania discusses the role of elites and the implications of antiestablishment politics.

Richard Hanania is a political scientist, writer, and author of the new book Kakistocracy: Why Populism Ends in Disaster, which makes the sometimes uncomfortable case that antiestablishment politics, for all their appeal, tend to make countries worse. He joins Coleman to talk about who elites actually are and why they’re usually right, even when they’re sometimes spectacularly wrong.  They also get into what explains the rise of antiestablishment politics across the West, and why communications technology may be more to blame than any actual failure of institutions. Hanania’s own journey from the alt-right informs all of it, and he closes with some unusually honest advice for young men who find themselves going down that road. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

People in this episode

Host: Coleman

Guest: Richard Hanania

Topics covered

• elites
• antiestablishment politics
• populism
• communications technology
• political science

Keywords

• elites
• populism
• antiestablishment
• political science
• communications technology
• Kakistocracy

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: Kakistocracy: Why Populism Ends in Disaster

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