Book Talk 61: Ruth Ben-Ghiat on the State of Democracy in America | Think About It Podcast

Book Talk 61: Ruth Ben-Ghiat on Threats to Democracy and H. L. Mencken’s "Notes on Democracy"
(originally published on December 9, 2023)

A century ago, journalist H. L. Mencken provocatively stated in Notes On Democracy (new edition by Warbler Press, 2023) that anti-democratic behavior is not only not shocking but that we should in fact expect democracies to give rise to un- and even anti-democratic forces. Mencken doubted that such evils of democracy would be cured by more democracy, which usually means elections and ‘fostering democratic norms and behaviors. So what is to be done?

I spoke with NYU Professor and political commentator Ruth Ben-Ghiat on the current threats to democracy posed by populism, the media’s role in shaping political views, what historical precedents of strongmen can teach us about today’s threats to democracy, and what is crucially missing from today’s political landscape.

Find the texts:

Strongmen: Mussolini to the Present (Norton, 2021) by Ruth Ben-Ghiat: https://bookshop.org/a/12343/97803938...
Notes On Democracy (1926) by H. L. Mencken: https://warblerpress.com/notes-on-dem...

Ruth Ben-Ghiat is a distinguished expert in the history of fascism and is appointed at NYU as Professor of History and Italian. A leading authority on the contemporary challenges facing democracies globally, she frequently provides insights as a commentator for various news networks and contributes as an MSNBC opinion columnist. In her newsletter, Lucid, she delves into the critical issues threatening democracy. Her work has been recognized with Guggenheim, NEH, Fulbright and other fellowships. Her latest book, Strongmen: Mussolini to the Present explores the regimes and rise to power of authoritarian leaders, while proposing strategies for their defeat. Follow her here: Twitter @RuthBenGhiat; Instagram @RuthBenGhiat.

Uli Baer teaches literature and photography as University Professor at New York University. He is a recipient of Guggenheim, Getty and Humboldt awards. In addition to hosting "Think About It”, he hosts (with Caroline Weber) the podcast "The Proust Questionnaire” and is Editorial Director at Warbler Press. Twitter @UliBaer; Instagram @Uli.Baer

Listen to this podcast for free on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/3QDjymX... or New Books Network: https://newbooksnetwork.com/strongmen...