Does liberalism need reinvention in the 21st century?

The decline and even death of liberalism has been predicted often. Today it faces challenges not only from populism in Europe and the US but also from China offering an illiberal alternative that may prove attractive to leaders in the global South. In this episode, Professor Timothy Garton Ash (University of Oxford) joins us to analyze the future of liberalism. We discuss what liberalism can learn from its mistakes to emerge stronger.

 

Democracy in Question? is brought to you by:

• The Institute for Human Sciences in Vienna: IWM

• The Albert Hirschman Centre on Democracy in Geneva: AHCD

• The Excellence Chair and Soft Authoritarianism Research Group in Bremen: WOC

• The Podcast Company Earshot Strategies

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Soft Authoritarianism and the Ambivalences of Europeanisation: What Role Could the EU Play?, Jens Adam reflects on the latest episode of the podcast series.

 

BIBLIOGRAPHY

• The Magic Lantern. (2019).

• Free Speech: Ten Principles for a Connected World. (2017).

• Read more from Timothy Garton Ash in The Guardian.

• Read more from Timothy Garton Ash in The New York Review of Books.

 

GLOSSARY

What is soft authoritarianism?

(00:01:00 or p. 1 in the transcript)

The term soft authoritarianism is used to describe countries which have multiple parties and elections, but where the regime keeps the media and influential institutions on a short leash, exercising its power behind the ostensive freedom of choice. Source.

What does Velvet Revolution mean?

(00:16:00 or p. 10 in the transcript)

The Velvet Revolution was a transition of power in what was then Czechoslovakia, occurring from 17 November to 29 December 1989. The protests started eight days after the fall of the Berlin Wall with student protesters. The students were joined in the coming days by Czechoslovak citizens of all ages and the Communists were forced out. By the end of 1989, Czechoslovakia was on its way to having an elected President for the first time since 1948. The revolution is often described as “non-violent”, hence its descriptive title “Velvet Revolution.” Learn more.