Democratic Decline

Democratic Decline

The 6th of January marks one year since the United States Capitol attack of 2021, whereby a mob of supporters of Republican President Donald J. Trump stormed the Capitol Building. On today’s anniversary, what can we learn from prehistory to the present, about democratic decay, corruption and cronyism?


Dr. Brian Klaas, UCL Associate Professor in Global Politics, Washington Post Columnist, and author of ‘Corruptible: Who Gets Power and How it Changes Us’ is today’s guest on the podcast. So, are tyrants made or born? If you were thrust into a position of power, would new temptations to line your pockets gnaw away at you until you gave in? As one of the world's leading and most effective commentators of democratic decline, Brian joins Dan to answer these questions.


They discuss the rise of hierarchy in prehistoric times, how cognitive biases from our Stone Age minds continue to cause us to select the wrong leaders and what we can learn about King Leopold II of Belgium about whether power or systems, corrupt.


If you'd like to learn more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad-free podcasts and audiobooks at History Hit - subscribe today! To download the History Hit app please go to the Android or Apple store.

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Episoder(1498)

Magna Carta

Magna Carta

Dan and leading medieval historians explain everything you need to know about Magna Carta...and the story is more dramatic than you might think. Magna Carta sprang from an England on the brink of civi...

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The First Trains

The First Trains

On 27 September 1825, a steam-powered marvel known as Locomotion No.1 made history, pulling passengers and coal from Shildon to Stockton-on-Tees in the North of England. This 25 mile journey, changed ...

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The Battle of Hastings

The Battle of Hastings

On 14 October 1066, the armies of William, the Duke of Normandy, and the Anglo-Saxon King Harold Godwinson clashed near Hastings in one of the most famous battles in history and one that would decide ...

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The Mongol Invasion of Europe

The Mongol Invasion of Europe

In the 13th century, a force unlike any Europe had ever seen came thundering across the steppe. The Mongols had already carved out the largest land empire in history - but after conquering vast swathe...

23 Sep 202546min

Did the Trojan War Really Happen?

Did the Trojan War Really Happen?

The Trojan War is one of the great foundational stories of Western literature - a tale of gods and heroes, betrayal and siege, immortalised by Homer in the Iliad. But was it mere myth, or did it sprin...

21 Sep 202534min

Anne Boleyn: Myths vs Reality

Anne Boleyn: Myths vs Reality

The life of Anne Boleyn has intrigued audiences for centuries. Everyone knows something about her time as Queen of England, and of course, her betrayal and execution. But her formative years in France...

18 Sep 20251h 1min

Emperor Augustus

Emperor Augustus

Augustus has often been hailed as Rome’s greatest emperor - he ended civil war, built an empire and declared a new age of peace. But behind the architectural marvels and military triumphs lies a story...

16 Sep 202539min

The Greatest Knight That Ever Lived: William the Marshal

The Greatest Knight That Ever Lived: William the Marshal

William the Marshal’s story reads like a legend. Born a landless younger son, he rose through sheer skill and courage to become the greatest knight of his age.In this Explainer episode, Dan takes you ...

14 Sep 20252h 7min

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