What's So Good About Democracy?

2026-10-23

Is democracy in crisis? From anarchic social media to the rise of authoritarianism, Mathew Sweet and guests give our political system a full MOT, from the basics of democratic theory to questions about how it should run from day-to-day. With:

Hugo Drochon is an Associate Professor in Political Theory at the University of Nottingham. His latest book is Elites & Democracy

Teresa Bejan is a Professor of Political Theory at the University of Oxford. Her latest book is First Among Equals: Visions of Equality Before Egalitarianism

Melissa Lane is a Professor at Princeton teaching classics and philosophy. Her latest book is Of Rule and Office: Plato's Ideas of the Political

Guto Harri is a writer and consultant, formerly Downing Street Head of Communications

Producer: Luke Mulhall

No. of episodes

1,529

Latest episode

2026-10-23

Where can you listen?

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Leading thinkers discuss the ideas shaping our lives - looking back at the news and making links between past and present. Fridays at 9pm on BBC Radio 4. Presented by Matthew Sweet, Shahidha Bari and Anne McElvoy.