Chapter
The Meaning of Democracy
00:00 - 06:48 (06:48)
The perception of democracy as a default state of affairs brought by outside forces loses sight of the struggle that democracy truly is. Analyzing democracy as a product of larger powers such as capitalism is not just an analytical mistake, but a loss of understanding the true nature of democracy as a constant battle for freedom.
Clips
In this TED Talks Daily episode, historian Timothy Snyder discusses the structure and spiritual responsibility we have to democracy through a conversation with TED Current Events curator, Whitney Pennington Rogers.
00:00 - 01:36 (01:36)
Summary
In this TED Talks Daily episode, historian Timothy Snyder discusses the structure and spiritual responsibility we have to democracy through a conversation with TED Current Events curator, Whitney Pennington Rogers. Snyder brings in his experience as a Ukraine historian and explicates the mindset that Americans can adopt to exercise their democratic rights.
ChapterThe Meaning of Democracy
EpisodeIs democracy doomed? The global fight for our future | Timothy Snyder
PodcastTED Talks Daily
The way we think about democracy as a noun can be unhelpful, it should be treated as a verb.
01:36 - 02:38 (01:02)
Summary
The way we think about democracy as a noun can be unhelpful, it should be treated as a verb. Democracy is not something that exists in the world as a thing, but it exists inside us and begins with a desire for people to rule.
ChapterThe Meaning of Democracy
EpisodeIs democracy doomed? The global fight for our future | Timothy Snyder
PodcastTED Talks Daily
The belief that democracy is a default state of affairs or a result of capitalism is a mistake, as it undermines the struggle that democracy requires.
02:38 - 06:48 (04:10)
Summary
The belief that democracy is a default state of affairs or a result of capitalism is a mistake, as it undermines the struggle that democracy requires. Democracy has always been a constant fight, and the misconception that it can be brought to people undermines this reality.