Pandemics, Democracies & Dictatorships
Today, fear stalks the globe. The grim reaper is taking a heavy toll. The coronavirus pandemic has led to many thousands of deaths and tremendous economic dislocation. In this climate of fear, authoritarian regimes from Saudi Arabia to Hungary, from Russia to Turkey, from Iran to the Philippines use the crisis as a pretext to curtail civil liberties, expand police power and surveillance, silence their opponents, settle old scores, muzzle the press and jail dissidents. The pattern repeats in different shapes and forms among tyrants and would-be tyrants. Indian prime minister Modi has thrown journalists critical of his rule in jail. Kashmir remains under military control. In Washington, the U.S. president has declared “ultimate authority. I call the shots.” How can people in democratic societies effectively respond to the current crisis?
Speaker
Nader Hashemi
Nader Hashemi is the Director of the Center for Middle East Studies at the University of Denver. He is the author of Islam, Secularism & Liberal Democracy and co-editor of The People Reloaded. He is a contributor to David Barsamian’s Retargeting Iran book.
Jehnny Oh –
Loved this. More people need to listen to it– thank you for sharing it on KTSW San Marcos Tx.
John M. Morgan –
This program is all about contrasting good “democracies” (us of course) versus the bad “authoritarian” countries. The labels applied based on how countries are portrayed in our grossly propagandistic western media. This is not the independent view I hope to hear when I tune in to AR!