Are the Bad Guys REALLY Winning?

What does historian and journalist Anne Applebaum mean by “the 21st century is, so far, a story of the reverse”?
Whether we like it or not, global politics today is defined by confrontation-which could lead to conflict-between autocracies and democracies. However, unlike the great geopolitical divisions of the past, the new dividing lines are not ideological or ethnic or religious or economic. Rather, the two camps are defined by how their leaders come to and maintain themselves in power. The autocracies seem to have figured out they have much in common, including fear of democracy, and translate that understanding into effective mutual support. Ironically, the democracies spend considerable energy criticizing each other, emphasizing their different approaches to issues like immigration, climate, trade, etc.
Not surprisingly, as historian and journalist Anne Applebaum wrote in the Atlantic in November: “The Bad Guys are Winning.” As she put it, "If the 20th century was the story of slow, uneven progress toward the victory of liberal democracy over other ideologies-communism, fascism, virulent nationalism-the 21st century is, so far, a story of the reverse.”
With Russian troops massed on Ukraine’s border, Belarus dumping Middle East migrants in Poland and Lithuania, China threatening Taiwan (as well as countries like Lithuania and Australia who dare to disagree with Beijing) these are potentially life and death issues. Listen as Applebaum discusses how this new world (dis) order might evolve.

[@producer2123]

Excellent interview. I especially appreciate how the moderator asked well-formed questions and did not interrupt Ms. Applebaum as she gave her answers. That is rare these days.

[@max_skim-pontoon-cough]

She’s a 🤡

[@nathanngumi8467]

A great episode!

[@jhaduvala]

Shallow, ignorant, mainstream.

[@erlindaekvall6229]

No. Profound and knowable that should go mainstream.

[@jhaduvala]

@@erlindaekvall6229 She's a neo-Cold War warrior. This is classic American right-wing think-tank speak. The Tallberg Foundation's agenda is globalism and Globalization. Stated on their site. The title of the video - "Bad guys" - and the way she lumps various nations under the banner of "autocracies" is devoid of nuance and any genuine understanding of those nations. You cannot pretend that the hand of the CIA playing America's long-game via destabilization of other nations never happened or has magically stopped. It hasn't. And her targeting of Venezuela is pure Americana. The pretence (because it's either pretence or ignorance) that politics is "shaping the world" is disingenuous. Big Money (finance) and multinational business is the driver of Globalization, not politics. It is PAINFUL listening to her nonsense.