Profs and Pints Online presents: “Defending Democracies,” on what can be done about the precarious state of elected governments in the U.S. and abroad, with Professors Victor Menaldo and James Long of the University of Washington, co-founders of the Political Economy Forum.

[This talk will remain available in recorded form at the link given here for tickets and access.]

The concept of democratic government appears under assault throughout the world. Join two experts on liberal democracy who have researched this trend—focusing especially on efforts to prosecute presidents who abused their power—for a look at what, if anything, can be done to buttress democratic institutions.

Dr. Menaldo and Dr. Long, both political scientists, will discuss the state of elected governments both in the U.S. and around the world. They will look at where American democracy stands after Donald Trump’s presidency and Biden's first 100 days in the broader context of democracy coming under pressure in in Brazil, the Philippines, Hungary, Turkey, and several African countries. Among the questions they’ll explore: What democracies are under threat and who is threatening them? Is it democratically elected leaders themselves or are the chief perils coming from elsewhere?

Not that long ago liberal democracy seemed ascendant throughout the world, with the exceptions being in those nations ruled by long-lived authoritarian leaders who used oppression to keep democracy at bay.  Now, however, democratic backsliding has become widespread, with democratic institutions like free and fair elections and a free press being assaulted from within by elected presidents and prime ministers.

The question of how to deal with such elected leaders is a tricky one.  At first glance, the need to prosecute current or past top officials accused of illegal conduct seems obvious for a democracy that holds that everyone should be held accountable and subject to the rule of law. But presidents and prime ministers aren’t just anyone. They were chosen by a nation’s citizens or parties to lead, and often they’re popular or even revered. Judicial proceedings against them are inevitably divisive and perceived as political. If the prosecution of past leaders is brought by a political rival, it can lead to a cycle of prosecutorial retaliation.

What's the best strategy for dealing with them? Is it best to prosecute them to the fullest extent of the law? Or to let things slide to avoid risking blowback from incumbents' supporters or even a civil war? Menaldo and Long will describe how their research shows that the answers often depend on context, such as whether that nation’s democracy is mature or nascent, and how the prosecution is carried out. Their talk will leave you with a much more nuanced understanding of what you, as a citizen, can hope for and do to preserve your freedom and voice.

Profs & Pints Online: Defending Democracies