Martin Conway Believes "Democracy Owes its Durability Not to its Principles but to its Flexibility." Democracy in Western Europe from 1945 to 1968

Where you and I and, I think, many others start from an assumption that somehow there is a thing called democracy and we sort of know what it is. But the diversity within democracy is far larger than that. You know, there's clear big institutional temperamental differences between visions of representatives ruling, people ruling, and so on. All these sorts of things are different models of democracy and therefore the word democracy in some respects becomes rather meaningless.Martin ConwayA full transcript is available at www.democracyparadox.com or a short review of Western Europe’s Democratic Age: 1945—1968  here.Martin Conway is the author of the new book Western Europe’s Democratic Age: 1945—1968 and a Professor of Contemporary European History at the University of Oxford.Key Highlights IncludeWhy Democracy Became Part of Western Europe's IdentityHow Democracy was a Process of Continual NegotiationThe Distinct Characteristics of Democracy in Western EuropeAn Account of the Transition from the Fourth to the Fifth Republic in FranceLessons for Democracy Today from Western Europe's PastKey LinksWestern Europe's Democratic Age: 1945-1968  by Martin ConwayLearn more about Martin Conway at Balliol College at the University of OxfordDemocracy and Dictatorship in Europe  by Sheri BermanDemocracy Paradox PodcastKurt Weyland Distinguishes Between Fascism and AuthoritarianismMichael Hughes on the History of Democracy in GermanyMore Episodes from the PodcastMore InformationDemocracy GroupApes of the State created all MusicEmail the show at [email protected] on Twitter @DemParadoxFollow on Instagram @democracyparadoxpodcast100 Books on DemocracySupport the show