One Size Doesn’t Fit All: Democracy is Not Always the Best Form of Government

One Size Doesn’t Fit All: Democracy is Not Always the Best Form of Government

Democracy is the worst form of government except all the others that have been tried. So said Winston Churchill and who would disagree? One man, one vote, the rule of law, equality and a free press. These are the principles which tens of thousands have been imprisoned or lost their lives for in despotic regimes from South America to Burma. In recent months a violent struggle for democratic rights has been taking place on the EU’s doorstep in Ukraine. Scores of people have been killed in demonstrations against Viktor Yanukovych, now ousted as President. Elections are set for May but tensions are mounting between western governments and President Putin over the Crimea and the eastern parts of the country. But is the assumption that democracy always leads to a freer and more tolerant society correct? Many would argue that it can lead to quite illiberal outcomes especially where there is profound ethnic division. What if democracy were installed in Syria? It’s not hard to imagine what would happen to the... Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/intelligencesquared. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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Episoder(1665)

Were Castles the Original Military-Industrial Complex? With Dan Jones

Were Castles the Original Military-Industrial Complex? With Dan Jones

For more than 3,000 years, castles and fortifications have shaped the landscapes around them. They defended cities, controlled trade and provided refuge in times of war. But they were also monuments t...

26 Okt 47min

Archive: Is Mark Zuckerberg Damaging Society?

Archive: Is Mark Zuckerberg Damaging Society?

With the release of Aaron Sorkin's new film The Social Reckoning, Mark Zuckerberg and the dark side of Facebook are back in the spotlight.In 2019, Intelligence Squared put Zuckerberg on trial, asking ...

24 Okt 1h 4min

Has America Abandoned Ukraine? With Michael McFaul

Has America Abandoned Ukraine? With Michael McFaul

Donald Trump’s growing accommodation of Vladimir Putin has raised a stark question: has the US abandoned Ukraine? Conor Boyle speaks to Michael McFaul, former US ambassador to Russia and author of Aut...

22 Okt 26min

What Must Burnham Sacrifice To Make Britain Grow? With Michael Gove

What Must Burnham Sacrifice To Make Britain Grow? With Michael Gove

Few figures in modern British politics have operated as close to the centre of power as Michael Gove. Over more than a decade in government, he has held some of the most senior offices of state – incl...

20 Okt 1h 33min

Why Are People Having Fewer Children Than They Want? With Camilla Cavendish

Why Are People Having Fewer Children Than They Want? With Camilla Cavendish

In England and Wales, the total fertility rate fell to 1.39 children per woman in 2025. More than half of the world’s countries and areas are now below the level at which a population replaces itself ...

18 Okt 44min

Archive: Can the Arts Drive Social Change? With Idris Elba, Kwame Kwei-Armah and Yassmin Abdel-Magied

Archive: Can the Arts Drive Social Change? With Idris Elba, Kwame Kwei-Armah and Yassmin Abdel-Magied

In the summer of 2020, as Black Lives Matter protests swept the world, the arts and creative industries faced urgent questions about racism, representation and their role in driving meaningful change....

18 Okt 1h 2min

How One Family Remade Britain: Thomas and Oliver Cromwell, with Miranda Malins

How One Family Remade Britain: Thomas and Oliver Cromwell, with Miranda Malins

Thomas Cromwell helped Henry VIII break with Rome, reshape government and establish the Church of England. A century later, his distant relative Oliver Cromwell helped defeat a king, establish a repub...

15 Okt 57min

Can Europe Defend Itself? Timothy Garton Ash on Europe's Future

Can Europe Defend Itself? Timothy Garton Ash on Europe's Future

Europe’s past is not past. The borders of vanished empires still surface in election results. The European Union and Nato face a world in which Russia is aggressive, America is less dependable and Eur...

13 Okt 34min

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