Democracy and Its Alternatives
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Narrated by:
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Ethan Hollander
About this listen
The ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle called man a political animal. But what did he mean by that? What is democracy? How do democracies differ from one another? How do they stack up against their alternatives, like dictatorship? And can democracy survive the many challenges it faces today?
To answer these questions, look no further than Democracy and Its Alternatives. Political science, history, and current affairs rolled into one, these 24 lectures investigate democratic government in theory and practice. With political scientist Ethan Hollander as your expert guide, you will explore democracy from all available angles, embarking on an intensive intellectual journey that leaves no stone unturned. And you will do all of this with a robust toolbox of political philosophy, world history, international relations, individual case studies, and carefully constructed thought experiments.
From the provisioning of public goods to the enforcement of laws, learn about the role that governments play in our everyday lives. Reduce politics down to decision-making processes and see how these decisions can take shape with sharply constructed scenarios. Explore the differences between democracy and dictatorship, superpowers and failed states. Investigate democracy’s most dangerous flaws, from inefficiency and gridlock to the prospect of mob rule. Examine how democracies contend with problems like ethnic conflict, extremism, populism, polarization, power imbalances, and more. Dive into the theories that justify government and legitimize democracy. Zoom in and out of case studies across history and around the world to see how democracies differ from each other. And walk away armed with a foundational understanding of government, politics, and international relations.
PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.
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Experience a bold take on this classic autobiography as it’s performed by Oscar-nominated Laurence Fishburne. In this searing classic autobiography, originally published in 1965, Malcolm X, the Muslim leader, firebrand, and Black empowerment activist, tells the extraordinary story of his life and the growth of the Human Rights movement. His fascinating perspective on the lies and limitations of the American dream and the inherent racism in a society that denies its non-White citizens the opportunity to dream, gives extraordinary insight into the most urgent issues of our own time.
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it's Nearly perfect
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I Thought It Was Just Me (but it isn’t)
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- By: Brené Brown
- Narrated by: Lauren Fortgang
- Length: 10 hrs and 44 mins
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Based on seven years of ground-breaking research and hundreds of interviews, I Thought It Was Just Me shines a long-overdue light on an important truth: Our imperfections are what connect us to each other and to our humanity. Our vulnerabilities are not weaknesses; they are powerful reminders to keep our hearts and minds open to the reality that we're all in this together.
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I'm sure its great if you are a mother ....
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Mythology: Mega Collection
- Classic Stories from the Greek, Celtic, Norse, Japanese, Hindu, Chinese, Mesopotamian and Egyptian Mythology
- By: Scott Lewis
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Do you know how many wives Zeus had? Or how the famous Trojan War was caused by one beautiful lady? Or how Thor got his hammer? Give your imagination a real treat. This Mega Mythology Collection of eight audiobooks is for you....
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An interesting set of introductions.
- By Kevin Potter on 05-30-19
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The Philosopher's Toolkit: How to Be the Most Rational Person in Any Room
- By: Patrick Grim, The Great Courses
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Taught by award-winning Professor Patrick Grim of the State University of New York at Stony Brook, The Philosopher’s Toolkit: How to Be the Most Rational Person in Any Room arms you against the perils of bad thinking and supplies you with an arsenal of strategies to help you be more creative, logical, inventive, realistic, and rational in all aspects of your daily life.
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This should NOT be an audio book
- By Brooks Emerson on 03-21-20
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My Big TOE: Awakening
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My Big TOE: Awakening, written by a nuclear physicist in the language of contemporary culture, unifies science and philosophy, physics and metaphysics, mind and matter, purpose and meaning, the normal and the paranormal. The entirety of human experience (mind, body, and spirit) including both our objective and subjective worlds is brought together under one seamless scientific understanding.
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What a Trip (but to where?)
- By Michael on 11-26-13
By: Thomas Campbell
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Political correct digressions every five minutes
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In the 10 episodes of The Real History of Dracula, folklorists Dr. Sara Cleto and Dr. Brittany Warman, of The Carterhaugh School of Folklore and the Fantastic, will shine a light into the dark recesses of our cultural obsession with vampires. Using folklore, literature, history, television, film, and more, Sara and Brittany will show you how—and why—vampires are a potent metaphor for what matters most about the human condition.
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Waste of time, money and even space on your phone
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What listeners say about Democracy and Its Alternatives
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Ross J. Patti
- 10-26-23
Never too much
I really appreciated that the topic is always shifting and that it didn’t focus on one topic for too long.
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- Dillon Valderemao
- 10-12-23
Very informative
Very informative, easy to follow and covers a wide range of practical topics. Highly recommended.
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- Kindle Customer FB
- 12-09-24
Pretty good but pretty biased
Overall a good synthesis, clear explanations, from someone who is clearly a good teacher. Unfortunately a bit caricatural and biased. A cartoonish depiction of Russia, or of Victor Orban in Hungary. Or of right populist politicians in Europe. The crisis of western “liberal democracy”, its increasingly oligarchical nature and inability to respond to popular concerns about mass immigration or crime is unfortunately not discussed. As if nothing had happened in the last 25 years.
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Overall
- Racheal Dorsey
- 12-20-22
Very Informative
My interest in political science is elevated. I have a better understanding of current events and feel a little less ignorant about the process of democracy.
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1 person found this helpful
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- Bryan
- 02-16-24
Worth the listen
There are some good kernels of knowledge and wisdom with solid explanations about the differences in government systems and their histories, their features and benefits, their challenges and pitfalls. Definitely worth the time if you're interested in the subject.
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- Jake VanDeWoestyne
- 11-24-22
Informative, wide-ranging, and nuanced!
Examines in detail the advantages and disadvantages of democracy in contrast to other systems, how democracies differ from each other, as well as central banking, free trade, the European Union, gridlock, and the implications for these and others topics on democracy.
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1 person found this helpful
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- V
- 06-20-23
Illuminating
Thoroughly enjoyed this and learned much. Simple examples from everyday life make the concepts concrete
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- Jason le Grange
- 11-29-24
Excellent political theory detail
Enjoyed the excellent discussion on how democracy works and its alternatives. Nicely focused and succinct. A great listen.
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