Why Democracy’s Troubles Should Come as No Surprise
About this episode
The episode discusses the historical patterns behind the current troubles facing democracies, including polarization and inequality.
Why have so many democracies become more polarized, unstable, and vulnerable to authoritarianism? And why did so many political observers fail to see it coming? In this episode of the People, Power, Politics podcast, Nic Cheeseman talks to Sheri Berman, Professor of Political Science at Barnard College, about her recent article, “Democracy’s Troubles Should Be No Surprise”, and its powerful argument that democracy’s current troubles follow a familiar historical pattern. Drawing on classic theories of democratic stability, Berman explains how rising inequality, declining social mobility, polarization, and the erosion of cross-cutting cleavages have undermined even long-established democracies – and what policymakers can do in response. This podcast is part of our regular collaboration with the Journal of Democracy. Read the transcript here Guest: Sheri Berman is Professor of Political Science at Barnard College, Columbia University. She is one of the leading scholars of democracy, liberalism, and political development, and the author of numerous influential books and articles on the historical foundations of democratic stability and crisis. Professor Berman’s recent article…
People in this episode
Host: Nic Cheeseman
Guest: Sheri Berman
Topics covered
- democracy
- political science
- polarization
- authoritarianism
- inequality
- social mobility
Keywords
- democracy
- polarization
- authoritarianism
- inequality
- social mobility
- political stability
- Sheri Berman
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Barnard College, Journal of Democracy
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