What's Wrong with Democracy?

Democratic societies are a melting pot of people from different ethnic and religious backgrounds, but when political alliances are formed around a particular identity it can lead to division and somet...

7 Aug 202433min

The history of protest and democracy is long and complex, but taking to the streets has resulted in major democratic changes in the past. This week, Ben wants to know if protest still has a role to pl...

31 Jul 202430min

In many democracies voter turnout is lower than it’s ever been, especially among young people. Ben wants to know what we can do to get millennials and Gen Z to the polls. Do we need to rethink how we ...

24 Jul 202438min

Democracies are made up of people with different views. But when we don’t feel connected, we become polarised. Ben speaks to Noreena Hertz about how loneliness leads to polarisation and then to Wendy ...

17 Jul 202434min

This week, as more of our political institutions are rocked by corruption from partisan forces, Ben wants to know how we can protect the independence of our judiciaries, and what happens when they go ...

10 Jul 202438min

The freedom to speak truth to power is under threat. Not just in authoritarian states, but increasingly within democracies too. This week Ben asks why access to reliable information is so important fo...

3 Jul 202435min

This week, Ben’s asking what happens when money meets democracy. As lobbying scandals continue to rock our institutions, Ben wants to know how we can protect our democracies from corruption. Also what...

26 Jun 202431min

With populists rising to power around the world, Ben wants to know why, and how they flourish. Could establishment politicians learn a thing or two from populists about how to communicate? Do populist...

19 Jun 202433min