Political Ideologies

Francis Fukuyama on the Promise and Peril of Liberalism | Democracy Works

It's no secret that liberalism didn't always live up to its own ideals. In America, many people were denied equality before the law. Who counted as full human beings worthy of universal rights was contested for centuries, and only recently has this circle expanded to include women, African Americans, LGBTQ+ people, and others. Conservatives complain that liberalism empties the common life of meaning.

As the renowned political philosopher Francis Fukuyama shows in Liberalism and Its Discontents, the principles of liberalism have also, in recent decades, been pushed to new extremes by both the right and the left: neoliberals made a cult of economic freedom, and progressives focused on identity over human universality as central to their political vision. The result, Fukuyama argues, has been a fracturing of our civil society and an increasing peril to our democracy.

Fukuyama is the Olivier Nomellini Senior Fellow at Stanford University's Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies and a faculty member at Stanford's Institute on Democracy, Development, and the Rule of Law. His previous books include Identity: The Demand for Dignity and the Politics of Resentment and The End of History and the Last Man.

Refuge: A Unique Strength of Liberalism: Professor Bryan Garsten | How Do We Fix It?

Liberalism is out of fashion. You might say that it's under siege. From the populist right to the progressive left, liberal touchtones of limited government, personal freedom, the rule of law, and a mixed economy have come in for harsh criticism.

Liberalism is assailed by many critics, but it has not failed, argues Yale Political Science Professor Bryan Garsten. "A liberal society is unique in that it offers refuge from the very people it empowers" through "institutions and different political parties. This allows the rest of us to live undisturbed," he says. Supporters argue that this form of liberty most clearly elevates the liberal project.

In addition to his research and teaching, Garsten has written recent op-eds for The New York Times. His books include “Saving Persuasion: A Defense of Rhetoric and Judgement” and a collection of essays he edited about Rousseau and the Age of Enlightenment.

This episode is published with assistance from The Journal of Democracy. We are grateful. The most recent print issue includes essays by five authors, who grapple with questions of liberalism's lasting relevance and its challenges for the future.

Our interview features a lively discussion about the difference between liberal thought and other "isms" such as neoliberalism, libertarianism and progressivism. We learn more about the importance of community, the limits of individual freedom, and why liberal societies do not produce refugees— arguably another unique source of strength.

Professor Garsten is also skeptical of some aspects of modern liberalism. "I think there's a certain language that liberals use, of science, rights and progress which sometimes has been hijacked to justify elite overreach in imposing a vision of the world onto many people of different views," he tells us. "I offer the language of refuge as an alternative way to get at what's morally admirable in liberal societies."

Patrick Deneen on Why Liberalism Failed | The Politics Guys

Mike talks to Patrick Deneen, a Professor of Political Science at the University of Notre Dame. In his book , Deneen argues not only that liberalism has failed (which you probably picked up from the title) but more importantly, he argues that it failed because it was based on a fundamentally unsound understanding of human beings.

In this talk, Mike and Professor Deneen discuss the individual autonomy, liberalism & capitalism, how liberalism’s success led to its failure, virtue ethics & Judeo-Christian values, education, Alexis de Tocqueville, Wendell Berry, and lots more.

Mona Charen, Policy Editor at THE BULWARK, on what it means to be conservative | Talkin' Politics & Religion Without Killin' Each Other

In this episode, we’re joined by Mona Charon, Policy Editor at The Bulwark and host of the podcasts Just Between Us and Beg to Differ. We explore the state of democracy, the role of media, and the evolving definitions of conservatism. Mona reflects on her experiences living in Israel, the challenges of peace negotiations, and her perspective on the Biden administration's policies. We discuss the extremism in both U.S. political parties, the impact of Trump's leadership, and the Republican Party's future post-Trump. Mona also details her work at The Bulwark and advocates for media integrity and accountability.

What Is Conservative Populism? | Politics in Question

In this week’s episode of Politics In Question, Paul Elliott Johnson joins Julia and James to discuss conservative populism. Johnson is Assistant Professor of Deliberation and Civic Life in the Department of Communication at the University of Pittsburgh. His research focuses on rhetorical theory, argumentation, and American politics, with a particular focus on the rhetoric of populism and American conservatism. He is the author of  I the People: The Rhetoric of Conservative Populism in the United States (University of Alabama Press, 2022).

What is conservative populism? Does it define American conservatism? How does it differ from liberal populism? And what does it tell us about the next chapter in American politics? These are some of the questions Paul, Julia, and James ask in this week’s episode.

Nationalism, Populism and Socialism with Author John Judis | The Great Battlefield

The Great Battlefield podcast sits down with author John Judis to talk about his career as a political analyst, journalist and historian. As well as his recent books "The Populist Explosion" and "The Nationalist Revival"

Ece Temelkuran: There Is No Hope. There Is Us. That’s It. | The Context

Life under an authoritarian regime can erode one’s faith in humanity. That’s why today’s guest says it’s more important than ever for Americans to lean into building human connection. Ece Temelkuran is a Turkish political thinker, writer, and award-winning journalist. Her two most recent books are How to Lose a Country: Seven Steps from Democracy to Fascism and Together: Ten Choices for a Better Now.

Abandon the False Narratives: Jason Stanley | Future Hindsight

We discuss the purpose of fascist education, the political nature of universities in defending democracy, and the dangers of America’s powerful exceptionalist narrative.

Jason Stanley is the Jacob Urowsky Professor of Philosophy at Yale University and the author of seven books. His most recent is Erasing History: How Fascists Rewrite the Past to Control the Future.

Your civic action toolkit recommendations from Jason are:

1. Stand up in solidarity with those who are political targets
2. Understand other people’s perspectives because that gives them the voice in a democracy

"How to Talk to Your Son About Fascism" — with Dr. Craig Johnson | Freedom Over Facism

What’s the best way to fight fascism? Lead with empathy, joy, and community, according to Dr. Craig Johnson, who is this week’s podcast guest. It sounds counterintuitive, but coming together offline in community is the best defense against fascism. It’s that human-ing thing again.

Craig is the author of the brand new book How to Talk to Your Son About Fascism published by Routledge press. We talk about how easily young men can fall down the internet rabbit hole into fascism, how they're targeted, how to see the signs of this radicalization, and how you can talk with them empathetically if you catch it early enough in the radicalization process.