The hottest Democracy Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top World Politics Topics

What If We Chose Leaders by Lottery?

Granted • 10781 implied HN points • 25 Aug 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Reforms Democracy Experimentation
  1. The current system for selecting public officials is flawed and often attracts self-serving candidates.
  2. Radical proposals like selecting leaders by lottery can spark important conversations about improving our electoral system.
  3. Experimenting with alternative methods of choosing leaders is necessary to attract and elect better officials.

American Politics is Bringing Us Down

The Liberal Patriot • 1729 implied HN points • 31 Jan 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Election Citizenship Partisanship Democracy Activism
  1. Many voters view politics negatively and feel disheartened by the current state of American politics.
  2. Engaging in non-political activities and discussions can provide a refreshing break from partisan divides.
  3. Reinvigorating democracy requires looking beyond partisan politics and working together in various civic roles to address societal challenges.
Get a weekly roundup of the best Substack posts, by hacker news affinity:

joe biden can beat trump

Airplane Mode with Liz Plank • 1159 implied HN points • 09 Feb 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Election Presidency Candidates Democracy Foreign Relations
  1. There are concerns about Biden's memory and cognitive function affecting his potential reelection campaign.
  2. Biden could prevent Trump's second term by stepping down and allowing new Democratic candidates to enter the race.
  3. Allowing a different candidate to replace Biden could address challenges like lack of enthusiasm among voters and the threat of a second Trump presidency.

Why Is the American Right Pandering to Putin?

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 881 implied HN points • 15 Feb 24
🌍 World Politics Russia United States Democracy Human Rights Economic Disparities
  1. Moscow appears clean and safe, but wealth disparity and control by the Kremlin are significant issues in Russia's capital city.
  2. The extreme wealth in Russia often stems from Soviet-era practices and companies are controlled by Kremlin power.
  3. Tucker Carlson's recent actions, like praising Moscow and interviewing Putin, have been controversial and divided public opinion in the U.S.

Three steps to freedom

Global Inequality and More 3.0 • 855 implied HN points • 15 Feb 24
🌍 World Politics Communism Nationalism Democracy Autocracy
  1. The process of secession in Communist federations typically involves three steps: building a sentiment of national grievances, gaining acceptance from the communist party leadership, and making a decisive break from federal control.
  2. Nationalist movements in the Soviet and Yugoslav republics followed a similar playbook of exploiting perceived grievances like economic exploitation or cultural rights violations to justify secession.
  3. The unraveling of Communist federations into independent republics often led to territorial disputes and conflicts, overshadowing democratic principles with movements for self-determination.

The global defeat of democracy: geopolitics, and what to do about it

Wyclif's Dust • 1001 implied HN points • 02 Feb 24
🌍 World Politics Geopolitics International relations Authoritarianism Democracy
  1. Democracies face an international challenge from the new autocratic axis of China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea.
  2. International conflicts are a struggle for whose rules will prevail, America's or China's.
  3. Democratic systems need more 'weight' in decision-making and should balance policy populism with institutional elitism.

Beware the Weak Man

Thinking about... • 513 implied HN points • 22 Feb 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Policy Leadership Democracy Republicans Fear
  1. Identify weak men by their actions, like avoiding real issues and spreading fear rather than facing challenges head-on
  2. Weak men consume the energy of others, pushing for inaction, spread fear, and normalize fear in institutions, leading to harmful consequences
  3. Courage is essential in times of crisis, like supporting Ukraine and democracy, and standing up against the weak men who drive a politics of fear

Taiwan Goes Its Own Way

Persuasion • 982 implied HN points • 15 Jan 24
🌍 World Politics Taiwan China Election Democracy
  1. The recent election in Taiwan reflected domestic politics more than reactions to China.
  2. Criticism of the ruling party in Taiwan focused on economic performance and frustrations with issues like low wages and housing.
  3. Despite challenges, Taiwan continues to navigate its future with democratic transitions of power.

Germany announces wide-ranging plans to restrict the speech, travel and economic activity of political dissidents, in order to better control the "thought and speech patterns" of its own people

eugyppius: a plague chronicle • 493 implied HN points • 17 Feb 24
🌍 World Politics Government Censorship Surveillance Democracy
  1. Germany is implementing wide-ranging measures to restrict speech, travel, and economic activity of political dissidents to control the thought patterns of its people.
  2. The political establishment in Germany is using strategies to maintain power, including targeting opposition groups like Alternative für Deutschland (AfD).
  3. The government in Germany is expanding its control over dissent by planning to use various tools like financial investigations, travel restrictions, and internet censorship to combat right-wing extremism.

The apocalypse we choose

Thinking about... • 333 implied HN points • 03 Mar 24
🌍 World Politics Conflict Democracy International relations Geopolitics Foreign Policy
  1. Mike Johnson's actions as Speaker of the House are enabling Russian aggression in Ukraine and risking turning the world towards tyranny
  2. Ukrainian resistance is crucial in halting genocide and preventing nuclear proliferation
  3. American assistance to Ukraine is essential in supporting democracy, preventing catastrophe, and maintaining global stability

Unmasking Russia

Unmasking Russia • 707 implied HN points • 28 Jan 24
🌍 World Politics Russia Democracy Intelligence Human Rights Europe
  1. The newsletter 'Unmasking Russia' focuses on uncovering Russia's operations against democracies and human rights crimes.
  2. Expect weekly original content, curated news on Ukraine and Russia, and translations of investigations from 'Unmasking Russia'.
  3. For further support, readers can upgrade to a paid subscription to help the author continue their research and advocacy efforts.

A Profit-Seeking Government?

In My Tribe • 425 implied HN points • 19 Feb 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Government Democracy Corruption Political parties Lobbying
  1. Government can be categorized into Limited-Access (L) and Open-Access (O) Orders based on who is allowed to form significant organizations.
  2. In Limited-Access Orders (L), the ruling coalition can extract resources and form organizations, while in Open-Access Orders (O), citizens have the right to form political parties and corporations independently.
  3. Profit-seeking government tends to align with one-party government and can lead to corruption and favoritism, making a competitive, open-access order preferable.

Your Attention Has Been STOLEN | Peter Boghossian & Johann Hari

Peter Boghossian • 609 implied HN points • 30 Jan 24
🕹 Technology Social media Algorithms Interpersonal Relationships Democracy
  1. Johann Hari and Peter Boghossian discuss the impact of technology addiction on attention spans and society.
  2. They emphasize the role of social media in capturing attention and keeping users engaged through algorithms.
  3. The shortened attention spans affect relationships, political engagement, and democracy.

A Tribute to Saint Alexei, Patron Saint of Liberal Democracy

Fisted by Foucault • 393 implied HN points • 20 Feb 24
🌍 World Politics Democracy Russia Liberalism Dictatorship
  1. Saint Alexei, a figure representing liberal democracy, faced challenges in his past but ultimately embraced the principles and mission of liberal democracy, symbolizing a transformation and dedication to the cause.
  2. The narrative highlights the conflict between Saint Alexei and Russian leaders, shedding light on the struggle for liberal democracy in a political environment filled with corruption and oppression.
  3. The portrayal of Saint Alexei as a hero and martyr underscores the importance of his mission to bring liberal democracy to Russia and the sacrifices made by individuals in this pursuit.

Oh, how wonderful it is to live in an extremely democratic state like Germany, where the police will never harass you or fine you or raid your house for criticising the government

eugyppius: a plague chronicle • 275 implied HN points • 01 Mar 24
🌍 World Politics Democracy Freedom of Speech Political criticism Authoritarianism Government Control
  1. Germany embraces freedom of expression with its constitution protecting the right to criticize the government openly.
  2. The authorities in Germany respect the freedom to criticize the government, evident by cases of protest signs targeting political figures and police interventions.
  3. While there are limits, Germany promotes an open democratic discourse, allowing criticism of politicians without fear of severe consequences.

It’s Time To Save Civilization From The Pathocratic State

Public • 766 implied HN points • 01 Jan 24
🌍 World Politics Democracy Media Control Authoritarianism Totalitarianism Disinformation
  1. The media and political establishment are seen as a greater threat to democracy than populist movements.
  2. The term 'pathocracy' is used to describe leadership positions filled with narcissists and psychopaths.
  3. Governments and mainstream establishments have engaged in manipulative and authoritarian actions over the years.

Democracies, Dr. Putin Will See You Now

Surfing the Future • 139 implied HN points • 18 Mar 24
🌍 World Politics Democracy Authoritarianism Repression Sustainability Election interference
  1. Democracy is facing challenges globally, with a recurring pattern of decline observed in capitalism, democracy, and sustainability.
  2. Existential shocks are needed to reshape assumptions in the realms of Democracy and Sustainability.
  3. Leaders like Putin in power for long periods exhibit authoritarian tendencies, highlighting the need to revamp democratic systems.