How to be fearless in the face of authoritarianism - Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya
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How do you stand up to authoritarianism? In this powerful talk, housewife-turned-politician Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya describes her bid to defeat Belarus's long-time autocratic leader in the nation's 2020 presidential election. She shares a meditation on the link between fearlessness and freedom, reminding us that we all have what it takes to stand up to injustice— we just need to do it together.
Additional Resources for you to Explore
For more information about the protests in Belarus following the August 9, 2020 election, see here, here and here.
For more on concerns about falsified vote outcomes in response to the Belarus election, see here. For a summary of the official vote tally, see here. Learn about Belarus’ plans for a 2025 presidential election here.
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For more on concerns about falsified vote outcomes in response to the Belarus election, see here. For a summary of the official vote tally, see here. Learn about Belarus’ plans for a 2025 presidential election here.
Under certain conditions, the idea of a dictator can sound appealing, like when a democracy isn’t functioning as it should due to corruption or political polarization. People may believe the solution is a "benevolent dictator"— a leader who only uses their absolute power for the common good. But can such a leader actually exist in today’s world? Stephanie Honchell Smith examines this common myth.
In many democratic countries, charismatic leaders vilify political opponents, disparage institutions, and claim to be for the people. Some critics label this approach as authoritarian or fascist, while others argue that these leaders are manipulating voters. This style of politics goes by the name of populism. Takis S. Pappas explores the phenomenon and the lasting impact it can have on a country.
Philosopher Hannah Arendt was a German Jew who dedicated herself to understanding how the Nazi regime came to power, and more specifically, how it inspired so many atrocities. She believed the true conditions behind the unprecedented rise of totalitarianism weren’t specific to Germany, and developed theories on how to best combat such threats. Joseph Lacey explores the work of Hannah Arendt.
Author and historian Yuval Noah Harari explains the important difference between fascism and nationalism — and what the consolidation of our data means for the future of democracy. Harari warns that the greatest danger that now faces liberal democracy is that the revolution in information technology will make dictatorships more efficient and capable of control.
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- Speaker Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya
