Dirty deals with demagogues: ANNE APPLEBAUM on democracy’s betrayers

<p>Why do former democrats and intellectuals so often make the squalid journey from liberalism to hardline nationalism? Historian <strong>ANNE APPLEBAUM</strong>’s new book <a href="https://www.hive.co.uk/Product/Anne-Applebaum/Twilight-of-Democracy--The-Failure-of-Politics-and-the-Parting-of-Friends/24240735" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>Twilight Of Democracy</em></a><em>: The Failure Of Politics And The Parting Of Friends </em>describes why once-liberal people make deals with devils of demagoguery. She talks to <strong>Nina Schick </strong>about the revenge of the second-raters, the lure of performative rage, how toxic nostalgia feeds authoritarianism and worse…&nbsp;and what we can do about it.&nbsp;</p><ul><li>“If you despair that your society is coming to an end, you will embrace desperate measures.”</li><li>“When Trump tweets ‘LAW AND ORDER’ what he’s saying is, I can shut these people up.”</li><li>“Brexit was a coup carried out by one part of the elite against another part of the elite.”</li><li>“The defeat of Donald Trump is absolutely the most important thing that needs to happen for the world to move forward.”</li></ul><p><em>Presented by Nina Schick. Produced by Andrew Harrison. Assistant producer Jacob Archbold. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production by Alex Rees. </em><strong><em>THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production.</em></strong></p> &#10;&nbsp;<br /><hr><p style='color: grey; font - size: 0.75em; '>See <a style='color: grey; ' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for privacy and opt-out information.</p>