Political science, history, and current affairs rolled into one, Democracy and its Alternatives investigates democratic government in theory and practice. With political scientist Ethan Hollander as your expert guide, you will explore democracy from all available angles with a robust toolbox of political philosophy, world history, international relations, individual case studies, and carefully constructed thought experiments.
Democracy and Its Alternatives
Dig into democracy’s definitions, duties, debates, and difficulties, with special attention to how democratic governments have worked—or not—around the world and throughout time.
Rated 4 out of
5
by
Jean L from
A good start to understanding government
I read many of the reviews and I wanted to add my comment. The topic is immense, I think the presenter did a very good job of providing a primer to government for those not very knowledgeable about the subject. Given the past presidential election, I would say that is a pretty large group.
I understand some of the negative comments, but I think the presenter was trying to establish a foundational understanding, some of the issues such as the fairness or unfairness of the Electoral College and the Senate are pretty recent. They are legitimate issues, but I think the presenter wanted to get to what the founding fathers were trying to address....this doesn't mean it should stay that way, just that this is why it was orginally established this weay.
Date published: 2024-11-18
Rated 5 out of
5
by
Enquiring citizen from
Comprehensive, balanced, and timely
This course provides the history and contemporary context college curricula often leave out of their survey courses. And yet a better understanding of our own system of government and how it compares with others is becoming a more critical part of being a citizen. Dr. Hollander fills this gap in a clear and entertaining style.
Date published: 2024-09-26
Rated 1 out of
5
by
Telemachus Cromwell from
Deceit and oversimplification.
As this is on Great Courses Plus, I was expecting more out of a series called "Democracy and its alternatives". Instead, what we get, is the same repeated line that there are only two ways of organizing society, either through Democracy or Dictatorship.
This is a common lie repeated again and again, they even repeat it here on Norwegian TV all the time. By taking control over the narrative by defining the "two sides", they get to falsify a strawman that is so outrageous that anyone who disagrees with their definition of Democracy must be either a lunatic or plainly evil.
Anyone who disagrees with the modern system of universal suffrage that is entirely dominated by media corporations and social media, is immediately placed in the basket of being a "Russian bot".
If you happen to be a Whig like myself, who believe in a balanced system of government, where one needs representative democracy, but at the same time you need barriers to prevent it from becoming the populist mob rule of today. You are branded as being pro-dictatorship and pro-Putin.
Favoring the Republican form of government of limited democracy that we saw with the founding of the United States, or with the Norwegian Constitution of 1814.
Agreeing with the American Founding Fathers, that Democracy is Populism, which is mob rule, which leads to demagoguery, which is tyranny from the bottom. Agreeing with the American Founding Fathers is today treated as being pro-dictatorship.
I was expecting more from this site.
Date published: 2024-07-23
Rated 3 out of
5
by
LeonVS from
Very Good (... even if flawed)
Very interested in this subject matter (to paraphrase another reviewer "it is my jam") and did extensive analysis of posted reviews to gauge it's worth and investment in time. Upon watching the well presented (albeit 'cheapened' by short-changing the episode lengths) course I would well recommend for others simply due to the clarity and quality of the presentations on an important subject.
The lack of a clear definition of "democracy" is somewhat understandable due to the fact that the term as used here is not limited to the idea of '...a system of government generally responsive to the will of the population thru voting ...' but rather is extended to the very different idea of "... a government that respects human rights and fundamental freedoms ...". I personally have no issues with this second idea but it does complicate the discussion and this course almost totally avoids the consequences of that complication! The absence of a lecture specifically focused on 'The Tyranny of the Majority' allows the continued 'feel good' associations with the word Democracy even when discussing subjects where this second idea runs directly counter to the idea of 'majority rule'. Perhaps for some this is one of the components that make this 'introduction'/novice level material (avoiding a complex issue) but I say that 'introduction'/novice level material that gives the wrong impression is unacceptable. Explicit coverage of the fundamental flaw of a simple idea of Democracy is a must in presentation of this type and become a key component of the topic "Are Courts and Constitutions Democratic" (as well as being the 'missing link' in this course's presentation in the episode entitled "Partition, Peacekeeping, and Human Crisis").
On a slightly different tact on the above idea, it seems that in this course that the US Senate is presented as our protection from the 'tyranny of the majority'. But '...over our history the most populous one-quarter of the states — represented by only one-quarter of the Senate — has consistently been home to around 60 percent of the total population...". This rather 'undemocratic' representation of the population is based today on a rather arbitrary delineation of geographic boarders (but 'state rights' don't really have much of an association with 'respecting human rights and fundamental freedoms') albeit a very effective mechanism for avoiding 'majority rule'. Again not dealing with the reality of the definition of the term "Democracy" and leaving it to have a 'feel good' connotation detracts from what could be the full value of these lectures.
So above I've dealt with what I perceive as the 'flaws' of this course (I agree with many others about the 'strengths' of this course) but still recommend this material: its being a well presented discussion of the topic allows it to be a good baseline and grounding for further exploration and fleshing out of topics inadequately dealt with.
Date published: 2024-07-08
Rated 5 out of
5
by
George 540 from
Accomplishes the Goal
The course is designed for the masses - and Prof. Hollander succeeds in equipping his students with an understanding of how world governments work....and don't work. With each lecture, the vast majority of students will walk away with three or four critical facts about the topic - and in my opinion that makes Prof. Hollander an excellent communicator.
Date published: 2024-03-27
Rated 5 out of
5
by
PeterPaul1981 from
Great course to watch and re-watch
I watched this course a while ago, as soon as I saw it in my feed. But I find myself going back to it again and again -- and getting more from it every time.
When Russia and Ukraine are in the news, I go back to the lectures on dictatorship (The professor talks a lot about Putin); and when the Israel/Hamas war began, I re-watched the lectures on ethnic conflict and partition. I also found the lecture on Central Banks to be very helpful when there was all that talk about inflation and rising interest rates.
Basically, even with new news events that have occurred since this course came out, the professor's explanations are timely, helpful, and completely on-topic!
Date published: 2024-01-29
Rated 5 out of
5
by
franxious from
This Great Course is a great course!
No pun intended, but this Great Course is a great course! With all the talk about election, I just had to give this course a try. And all it took was the first lecture, and I was hooked!
Best of all, I learned a lot, not just about the US election system, but about political systems all over the world. Let this course be your guide through election season. You won't regret it!
Date published: 2024-01-29
Rated 3 out of
5
by
crowesnest from
Democracy and Its Alternatives
I learned many things during the course, but I do have one complaint- I would like to see these lectures redone where, almost every single time any type of government is referred to, the word "democracy" is not substituted for the type of government being referred to. Cumbersome, I know, but much more accurate and closer to the truth.
"Democracy" has taken the brunt of criticism and political failure for millennia; the velvet glove "failure of democracy" is never credited as the iron fist "triumph" of the republic it truly is.
When one looks around at the world we live in, one sees republic in action.
Democracy is anathema to republic. We are learning quickly in our modern world that one of them must go if we are going to survive as a civilization, and we won't rid ourselves of the evils of republic unless we call it what it is.
Every. Single. Time.
Date published: 2024-01-17
Overview
About
Ethan Hollander is an Associate Professor of Political Science at Wabash College. He earned a PhD in Political Science from the University of California, San Diego, where he was also a faculty fellow. He has received the McLain-McTurnan-Arnold Research Scholar distinction and The Story Collider podcast’s Artistic Director’s Pick award. He is the author of Hegemony and the Holocaust: State Power and Jewish Survival in Occupied Europe, and he has published research on authoritarian rule in Eastern Europe and democratization in the Middle East.
Trailer
01: Is Democracy Built to Last?
In the course’s inaugural lesson, define politics and political science. Dive into democratic backsliding across the world, as well as the confluence of geopolitical and economic factors that led to this crisis point. And evaluate the strength of democracy in light of populism, radicalism, polarization, and paralysis.
22 min
02: Politics and Personal Sacrifice
How does a group fractured by competing interests come to a decision, and when does it make sense to sacrifice one’s personal freedoms for the collective good? Examine how public goods are provisioned and distributed. See how governments square diffuse and concentrated interests. And survey three strategies for political decision-making.
22 min
03: Government and the Invention of Law
What is law? When was it invented and why? How do governments enforce the laws that they create? And how do constitutions—foundational laws that determine how all other laws are made—differ around the world?
21 min
04: The Rise of the Modern State
The overwhelming majority of us live in what are called sovereign states, the fundamental unit of political organization. Dive into the history of the modern state, traversing medieval and early modern Europe from feudalism to the Treaty of Westphalia, and examine the religious, cultural, and economic changes that reoriented political authority in the West.
20 min
05: States, Nations, and Nationalism
Nationalism and ethnic conflict are centuries old. Coupled with high-tech weaponry, however, they can be extraordinarily deadly. Investigate nationalism through a handful of case studies, exploring how ethnic, religious, or linguistic conflict has unfolded in places like Iraq and Turkey, how it is mitigated in Switzerland and Belgium, and the threat it poses in Catalonia and Scotland.
21 min
06: Why Care about Hobbes, Locke, and Rousseau?
Put on your philosopher’s hat to explore some classical political theory. Dive into the arguments and ideas of famous political theorists Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau. Determine what states are legitimately and morally capable of from all three viewpoints. And finish the lesson by evaluating social contract theory in European and American contexts.
23 min
07: Who Gets to Vote?
What are the three fundamental characteristics of democracy? And what limitations on the right to vote are compatible with democratic government? Explore the advantages and disadvantages of direct and indirect democracy. Finish by examining illiberal democracies and what they look like.
22 min
08: Voters and the Dangers of Too Much Democracy
Continue your dive into democracy by zooming in on its most glaring flaws. Move from issues like voter apathy to the chilling specter of mob rule, evaluating these real-world threats to democracy, as well as the potential for democracy to overcome them.
22 min
09: Should Presidents or Parliaments Lead?
What is the difference between a president and a prime minister? How much power should the chief executive wield? And which is more stable, presidential or parliamentary democracy?
23 min
10: The Vote Counter Decides Everything
Voting is a defining feature of any democracy. But how are votes tabulated? And what even counts as a majority? Well, when it comes to tabulating election results, there is no single formula; there are many. Survey three voting systems—plurality voting, two-round system, and ranked-choice voting.
23 min
11: Do Political Parties Help or Hurt?
Political parties, detested by the likes of George Washington and John Adams, are nevertheless key features of modern democracies. What role do they play when it comes to elections and policymaking? How do they differ across the world? And are multi-party systems better than two-party systems? Examine these questions and more.
24 min
12: The Problems with Federalism
In 1790, a federation was born in the United States. But states remained distinct and powerful political entities, and separatism remains a potent threat to federal governments across the world. At the course’s halfway point, turn your attention to federations comparatively, legally, and in practice, evaluating how they function from Canada to Nigeria.
26 min
13: Are Courts and Constitutions Democratic?
Healthy democracies must have constitutions and courts, but constitutions are usually old, and judges are often unelected. How do we make sense of this strange paradox? From the United States to Japan, explore constitutions and courts around the world, and see how democracy fits into the mix—if at all.
21 min
14: The Controversial Politics of Central Banks
Central banks, powerful custodians of currency and the economy, deserve our attention. Explore how these banks work, as well as the powers they wield. Understand why central bank administrators and politicians so often clash. And evaluate the benefits and shortcomings of independent central banks, using contemporary examples.
22 min
15: Who Backs Authoritarians?
The truth of the matter is that authoritarianism can make for an appealing alternative to democracy. Explore this notorious form of government by evaluating how dictatorships work and how they differ around the world.
24 min
16: The Dictator’s Playbook
How does authoritarianism emerge in a country? And can we predict when and whether a dictator will come to power? From violent revolution in Cuba to a military coup in Egypt and democratic elections in Nazi Germany, you will investigate the origins of dictatorships along with how strongmen gain and maintain power.
20 min
17: When States Fail, What Comes Next?
Believe it or not, whole states can fail—and this includes dictatorships as well as democracies. What is state failure? Why do states fail? And what threats do failed states pose to the rest of us?
22 min
18: Partition, Peacekeeping, and Human Crisis
What is humanitarian intervention? And should the international community intervene to prevent a genocide or to keep the peace between warring factions? If not, what alternatives exist to avert humanitarian catastrophe? Closely examine and analyze these questions through a diverse array of global case studies.
24 min
19: What Really Causes Wealth and Poverty?
Why are some nations rich and others poor? Examine concepts like GDP, the resource curse, colonialism, and the economy of trust to see how they affect economic development. And consider whether econmic development is always a desireable goal in the first place.
23 min
20: The Global Fault Lines of Trade
Why is international trade so controversial? And why does protectionism find support from both sides of the political spectrum? Delve into the global battle between free trade and protectionism, moving from Bill Clinton’s North American Free Trade Agreement to the US-China trade wars.
23 min
21: Is the European Union a Success or Failure?
The European Union is a unique and mysterious institution. But what is it? How is it organized? And how has it fared in the face of a sovereign debt crisis, a refugee crisis, and Brexit?
25 min
22: When the Balance of Power Breaks Down
When balances of power break down, disaster can strike. How can a powerful institution—like a government—be forced to keep its promises? And what is the essential role of government in the management of risk?
25 min
23: Why It’s So Hard to Work Together
Politics requires collective action. But that is much easier said than done. How does the government enable collective action? And when can collective action problems solve themselves?
24 min
24: Gridlock and Democracy
Conclude the course with an overview of modern democracy, in America and abroad. Survey political history from the rise of agricultural societies to the technological revolution of today. Review the merits and pitfalls of democracy and its alternatives. And close by examining the role international agreements play in global governance.
26 min
