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Democracy Paradox

Democracy Paradox

Von: Justin Kempf
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Is it possible for a democracy to govern undemocratically? Can the people elect an undemocratic leader? Is it possible for democracy to bring about authoritarianism? And if so, what does this say about democracy? ​​My name is Justin Kempf. Every week I talk to the brightest minds on subjects like international relations, political theory, and history to explore democracy from every conceivable angle. Topics like civil resistance, authoritarian successor parties, and the autocratic middle class challenge our ideas about democracy. Join me as we unravel new topics every week.

© 2026 Democracy Paradox
Politik & Regierungen Sozialwissenschaften Wissenschaft
  • Erica Frantz says Personalist Parties are Democracy's Latest Threat
    Feb 18 2026

    Traditional programmatic parties serve as a critical guardrail for democracy.

    Erica Frantz

    In this episode, Justin Kempf speaks with Erica Frantz about her book The Origins of Elected Strongmen and the rise of personalist leaders in democracies. Frantz explains how leader-dominated political parties – more than populist rhetoric alone – can erode democratic institutions from within, drawing on cases from El Salvador to France. The conversation explores why voters support such leaders and what this trend means for the future of democracy worldwide.

    The Democracy Paradox is made in partnership with the Kellogg Institute of the Keough School of Global Affairs at the University of Notre Dame.

    Read the full transcript here.

    Key Highlights

    • Introduction - 0:20
    • Personalism Defined - 2:50
    • Personalism's Appeal - 14:19
    • Threat to Democracy - 19:38
    • Pushing the Boundaries of the Theory - 33:13

    Links

    Learn more about Erica Frantz.

    Learn more about her coauthored book The Origins of Elected Strongmen: How Personalist Parties Destroy Democracy from Within.

    Learn more about the Kellogg Institute.

    Register for the Global Democracy Conference

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    52 Min.
  • Javier Pérez Sandoval Reveals Democracy’s Hidden Vulnerability: The Hollowing of the State
    Feb 4 2026

    By dismantling certain capacities today, you're making the democratic choices of tomorrow harder.

    Javier Pérez Sandoval

    In this episode, Javier Pérez Sandoval discusses his Journal of Democracy essay, coauthored with Andrés Mejía Acosta, on why populist leaders often “hollow out” the state. Moving beyond familiar debates about executive aggrandizement and democratic backsliding, Pérez Sandoval argues that democracy depends on the state’s capacity to deliver essential public goods – from health and education to security, justice, and credible elections. Drawing on examples from Mexico and Argentina, he explains how both left- and right-wing populists may weaken institutions through austerity, politicization, and institutional restructuring, often prioritizing short-term political gains over long-term democratic resilience. The conversation explores how state erosion can constrain future democratic choices, undermine public trust, and create a vicious cycle that leaves democracy structurally weakened from within.

    The Democracy Paradox is made in partnership with the Kellogg Institute of the Keough School of Global Affairs at the University of Notre Dame.

    Read the full transcript here.

    Key Highlights

    • Introduction - 0:20
    • Reducing State Capacity - 3:47
    • Core Functions of the State - 12:23
    • Is Reducing State Capacity Antidemocratic? 21:13
    • Does the Public Want to Hollow Out the State? 33:31

    Links

    Learn more about Javier Pérez Sandoval.

    Read the Journal of Democracy essay “Why Populists Hollow Out Their States.”

    Learn more about the Kellogg Institute.

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    43 Min.
  • Kate Baldwin Explains Why Christianity Fights for Democracy in Africa
    Jan 21 2026

    The group of people who have an interest in defending liberal democracy might be broader than many academics, and maybe even liberals, would have shown.

    Kate Baldwin

    This episode features Yale political scientist Kate Baldwin in a conversation about her book Faith in Democracy, which challenges the assumption that religion is inherently hostile to democratic governance. Drawing on research from sub-Saharan Africa, Baldwin explains how Christian churches have often emerged as defenders of liberal democracy – not because of ideological commitments, but because democratic institutions protect church autonomy and social service work from state overreach. The conversation explores when and why churches mobilize against democratic backsliding, how institutional incentives shape political behavior, and what this reveals about the broader coalition of actors invested in sustaining democracy.

    The Democracy Paradox is made in partnership with the Kellogg Institute of the Keough School of Global Affairs at the University of Notre Dame.


    Read the full transcript here.

    Key Highlights

    • Introduction - 0:20
    • Why Churches Defend Democracy - 3:20
    • Role of Education - 14:09
    • Why Churches Choose Autocracy - 20:09
    • Leadership - 27:00

    Links

    Learn more about Kate Baldwin.

    Learn more about her book Faith in Democracy: The Logic of Church Advocacy for Liberal Democratic Institutions in Africa.

    Check out "Democracy's Devout Defenders" in the Journal of Democracy.

    Learn more about the Kellogg Institute.

    Apes of the State created all Music

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    38 Min.
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