The Perils and Possibilities of Democracy

In this talk, Democracy & Debate host Angela Dillard introduces us to Dr. Sara Forsdyke, who draws on her disciplinary expertise in Classics and Ancient History to reflect on the differences between ancient and modern democracy. The goal of this comparison is to identify and address some of the weaknesses of contemporary American democracy with the goal of avoiding a drift towards tyranny or authoritarianism. She explores some of the technical features of ancient democracy and considers some of the measures contemporary Americans can take to strengthen our democratic institutions and preserve our democratic culture.

Additional Resources:

• Schwartzburg, “What Did Democracy Really Mean in Athens?”
• Sullivan, “Democracies End When They Are Too Democratic”
• Rothchild, Michigan’s Groundbreaking Redistricting Plan Has Its Roots in Ancient Athens”