In his book "Can Democracy Work? A Short History of A Radical Idea from Ancient Athens to Our World," James Miller encapsulates 2500 years of democracy history into about 250 pages — making the case that “people power” will always need to be at the heart of any successful democracy.
Miller is a professor of politics and liberal studies at the New School for Social Research. in New York City. He is the author of "Examined Lives: From Socrates to Nietzsche," "Flowers in the Dustbin: The Rise of Rock and Roll, 1947-1977," and "Democracy in the Streets: From Port Hurton to the Sige of Chicago." He was recommended to us by Astra Taylor, and you’ll hear some similarities between how James and Astra view democracy and our role within it.
Starting next week, we’ll be expanding our focus to look at the state of democracy around the world, starting with Hungary. We’ve talked in broad strokes about how democracy is on the decline outside the United States and are excited to dive into what’s happening in a few specific countries.
