Is Liberal Democracy Threatened? (Tuesday offering)
COURSE FULL. TO GO ONTO WAITING LIST PLEASE E-MAIL US AT [email protected]

This is probably a redundant question. A better one might be: Is liberal democracy over? Several respected thinkers believe that it is, or that at least we are entering a liberal democratic “recession” in which liberal democratic values are rolled back in favour of others. The liberal democratic “project”, a 240-year advance of a set of values and institutions, may well have overplayed its hand, advancing on the political, economic and social fronts faster than populations have been prepared to accept. Failures such as the takeover of political systems by oligarchs in many Western countries, out-of-control globalization, the mistakes made in the expansion of the EU, the lack of accountability of those responsible for the catastrophic global financial crisis, the denigration of the social values of the “deplorables” and the acceptance of large numbers of immigrants into unprepared societies have all contributed to the malaise.

Are we entering a new age of autocracy? Are we going to have societies where might is right? Can it be prevented and if so, how? Is the Obama or Trudeau-style tinkering enough or do we need more radical change to save the project? We will look at all this and more.

Moderator: John Simke

Date and Time: Tuesdays May 9  to May 23 2017 (3 weeks), 2-4 PM 

Location: OISE, 252 Bloor Street West, Room 2286

Cost: $18

Maximum Class Size: 30

Booking: See Terms and Conditions. COURSE FULL. TO GO ONTO WAITING LIST PLEASE E-MAIL US AT [email protected]