Episode Details

This week, Mark Leonard is joined by David Runciman, British political theorist and philosopher, to explore whether today’s sense of crisis really marks the end of democracy—or something more complex. As the global order fragments, Runciman argues that democracy itself is not disappearing, but the forces shaping the world no longer fit the model that worked for the past 50 years.

From shifting demographics and rising inequality, to a transforming technological landscape, together Mark and David explore why systems that once seemed stable are now under strain. In a world which is both more and less democratic, liberal states face pressure from within and without.

Rather than predicting collapse, the discussion asks how democracies can evolve. What needs to change and what happens if it doesn’t?

Bookshelf

Goliath’s Curse: The History and Future of Societal Collapse by Luke Kemp

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