Fragile Democracy

Sydney Writers' Festival

Australia has been a close ally of the United States since 1940, but what does this mean for contemporary politics when democracy is more fragile than ever?

Donald Trump and his attacks on the US electoral system have raised red flags about the strength of American democracy. But in an age of disinformation and civic decline, signs of fragility are visible elsewhere, and Australia is no exception.

Chaired by Festival favourite Barrie Cassidy, one of Australia’s most experienced political correspondents and analysts, this expert panel features former BBC foreign correspondent Nick Bryant (The Forever War: America’s Unending Conflict With Itself), UNSW Sydney Professor of Law and constitutional democracy specialist Rosalind Dixon and Senior Fellow of the University of Sydney’s United States Studies Centre Bruce Wolpe (Trump’s Australia: How Trumpism changed Australia and the shocking consequences for us of a second term).

Unpack the far-reaching ramifications of this relationship across trade, security, foreign policy and beyond. Together they will examine whether it’s too late to steer Democracy back on course in this defining moment with the ‘battle for the soul of America’ due to play out at the US Election later this year.

This episode was recorded live at the 2024 Sydney Writers’ Festival.

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