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![Why Democracy is in Peril and What We Can Do about It](https://aspenideasfestival.imgix.net/03c962db-5f7f-4a4d-aa4e-497c3683f70e/52178737794_b81c82cf8d_o.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=min&fm=jpg&h=290&q=80&rect=1376%2C0%2C5504%2C5504&w=290)
Our politics is polarized, and, with Donald Trump poised for a comeback, democracy is in peril. Drawing on themes from his book, The Tyranny of Merit: Can We Find the Common Good?, Michael Sandel explains how we arrived at this rancorous political moment and suggests how we can repair our civic life. Followed by a discussion with journalists David Leonhardt and Annie Murph...
![Philanthropy, Democracy, and You](https://aspenideasfestival.imgix.net/nulled6a155f-a9f5-4cf8-929f-0a7270a4d62c/48152033811_a01f216672_h.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=min&fm=jpg&h=290&q=80&rect=266%2C0%2C1067%2C1067&w=290)
Worried about the health of our democracy? There’s a bright light. Nation-wide the social sector is expanding to include NGOs led by a new generation, entrepreneurs building companies that offer a social return, networks of change-makers who share a profession or passion, and philanthropies taking many new forms. Together they’re tackling hard problems at the community and...
Democracy is in danger, not only in foreign places where autocrats rule, but also here at home. We are divided between those who would let the people rule and those who would allow rule by the powerful, greedy few. Defending our democratic system takes a new kind of democratic practice. It’s not only the practice of communal celebration; it’s the cultivation of self. Presi...
![Democratizing Beauty](https://aspenideasfestival.imgix.net/7b713b2a-5230-4b5d-bf2c-57b685a88672/52176306250_25bb69658a_o.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=min&fm=jpg&h=290&q=80&rect=0%2C0%2C5504%2C5504&w=290)
Technology has revolutionized the way we see and share beauty. From street style rocking luxury fashion houses to the changes in how and what we purchase, social media is disrupting the world of fashion. How does having the world at our fingertips make fashion more accessible and democratic? And in the process – how are we changing the ways in which we express ourselves cr...
![Democratizing Wealth](https://aspenideasfestival.imgix.net/df908c4c-926c-4bce-afe4-c0b937040cbf/53003838462_f43dc087e7_o.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=min&fm=jpg&h=290&q=80&rect=0%2C0%2C5504%2C5504&w=290)
Allowing everyone a fair chance at economic prosperity and upward mobility is a goal we can all support. But, how? Leaders of investment disruptor Robinhood, the MacArthur Foundation, and Prudential join to discuss the systems, practices, and policies to provide greater access to capital markets.
![Philanthropy and Democracy: Dangerous Liaisons](https://aspenideasfestival.imgix.net/nullba079599-d66b-4665-86c1-dce80f1937c5/35591522055_e47a496cc6_h.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=min&fm=jpg&h=290&q=80&rect=255%2C0%2C1089%2C1089&w=290)
Big philanthropy can contribute to a democratic society by addressing problems that neither government nor the private sector will take on. Yet philanthropic institutions and foundations are institutional oddities within a democracy: exercises of power by the wealthy with little accountability, donor-directed preferences in perpetuity, and generous tax subsidies. What, if...
![Town Hall: The Role of Free Speech and Creative Expression in Democracy](https://aspenideasfestival.imgix.net/c3ad19da-c0a6-4b37-ad8c-29c35340cd0f/41194663650_2ea8edbb9b_o.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=min&fm=jpg&h=290&q=80&rect=638%2C0%2C2223%2C2223&w=290)
For Freedoms Town Halls are intended to drive civic engagement and dynamic dialogue through artful acts. In this meeting, works of art will be displayed with the intent of catalyzing discussion about freedom of speech. Can an exploration of creative expression bring us closer to our collective values? A forum for inclusive public conversation, this unique town hall will br...
![Why Philanthropy Undermines Democracy and How it Can Do Better](https://aspenideasfestival.imgix.net/null0cd406a6-a347-42d2-9fa1-143c6979f53d/48146290936_4887bad8a1_h.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=min&fm=jpg&h=290&q=80&rect=240%2C0%2C1119%2C1119&w=290)
When, how much, and to whom people give is influenced by laws governing everything from the creation of foundations and nonprofits to generous tax exemptions for donations of money and property. Rob Reich, author of Just Giving, asks what attitudes and what policies should democracies have concerning individuals who give money away for public purposes? He posits that diffe...
![Philanthropy, Civil Society, and Trust: Democracy Works, if We Work It](https://aspenideasfestival.imgix.net/772984de-81b9-477c-94de-d8cfecab5f3a/28140334337_8eca2c559a_o.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=min&fm=jpg&h=290&q=80&rect=666%2C0%2C2168%2C2168&w=290)
Trust is democracy’s most valuable asset; we simply can’t work together to solve large problems without it. Yet, trust is at an all-time low. Polling reveals that a majority of Americans do not trust government or the media, and — perhaps more concerning — they do not trust each other. The Aspen Institute’s program on Philanthropy and Social Innovation argues that when it...
![A Lens on Present Day America: Abraham Lincoln and the Struggle for Democracy](https://aspenideasfestival.imgix.net/502d059c-ff98-4791-9dcd-de80bf92dd53/53009286050_fcb768c78b_o.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=min&fm=jpg&h=290&q=80&rect=984%2C0%2C3936%2C3936&w=290)
Pulitzer Prize-winning biographer Jon Meacham shares a view of Abraham Lincoln, who managed to hold the country together despite threats to democracy and the devastations of the Civil War. Understanding Lincoln, his unwavering commitment to democratic principles, and this period in history provides a critical lens to comprehending America’s contemporary challenges, and the...
![Reimagining the Future of the Democratic Party](https://aspenideasfestival.imgix.net/c749263e-66df-409a-b2d7-1cf2f363383e/52177732784_1c983e80ab_o.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=min&fm=jpg&h=290&q=80&rect=791%2C0%2C3467%2C3467&w=290)
“Follow the science” has become a Democratic mantra, but many Americans are wary of experts and believe elites look down on them. Have Democrats become too identified with technocratic ways of speaking — about the economy, the pandemic, climate change? Has this deepened the political divide between those with and those without college degrees? Can Democrats reconnect with...
![Fresh Eyes from Both Sides of the Aisle: Freshman In Congress](https://aspenideasfestival.imgix.net/nullc6b1bf25-1891-47b3-902d-dd197000c5bd/48153973062_341f55a6ab_o.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=min&fm=jpg&h=290&q=80&rect=666%2C0%2C2667%2C2667&w=290)
You have a passion and you want to make change in the world. But how? Political office! So you run, raise money, hire a staff, hit a grueling campaign trail, and win the election. There’s a big party, tons of press, and your team enjoys a celebratory high. Then what? What’s the first year like for a newbie in Congress? Is it motivating and inspiring, or do the realities of...
![Americans and Climate: Words to Use, Words to Lose](https://aspenideasfestival.imgix.net/bf0b2a49-bbc5-4046-8f98-2e8506283281/aif-2022-words.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=min&fm=jpg&h=290&q=80&rect=349%2C0%2C901%2C901&w=290)
Most people now agree that climate change is real and that humans are causing it. But that’s where the consensus stops. Political pollster and strategist Frank Luntz, known for pioneering political focus groups, believes there is a better way to reach more people, more effectively in order to mobilize real action on climate change. In this highly interactive talk, he’ll sh...
![This Will Not Pass: Trump, Biden, and the Battle for America's Future (Book Talk)](https://aspenideasfestival.imgix.net/8316b032-c684-44bb-a0eb-7e6ea82c17d5/52181225173_1bae1c8e0a_o1.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=min&fm=jpg&h=290&q=80&rect=990%2C0%2C3836%2C3836&w=290)
Over the last two years, the nation seems to have been broken. Against the background of a politicized pandemic, there was a verbal and legal assault on democracy predicated on the lie of a rigged election, followed by a literal assault on the US Capitol building. Then, in spite of something so obvious to unite against, the opposition party struggled to find a solid ticket...
![In Conversation with Governor Laura Kelly](https://aspenideasfestival.imgix.net/9de4361f-a9b8-443c-bf3d-cc29e46f0f79/53806503442_f6b6f1a6b3_o.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=min&fm=jpg&h=290&q=80&rect=1550%2C0%2C3101%2C3101&w=290)
Laura Kelly sits down to discuss health policy and practice in the state of Kansas. Kelly, a Democrat, heads the traditionally red state of Kansas, where government is divided. She'll discuss challenges—from fiscal pressures, Medicaid cost-sharing, and the need to bolster public health, to the threat of future pandemics and delicate decisions about reproductive health and...
![Pushback: The Perils (and Power) of Corporate Commitments](https://aspenideasfestival.imgix.net/4740a973-6c0d-4f57-9c35-796fdd369fa2/53823862693_2b19d6cc7e_o.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=min&fm=jpg&h=290&q=80&rect=0%2C238%2C3101%2C3104&w=290)
With ESG caught in the political culture wars, business executives must decide to speak up or stay quiet about climate, diversity and democracy. What do employees and citizens expect, and can playing offense be the best defense against the pushback?
![Where Big Tech Went Wrong and How We Can Reboot](https://aspenideasfestival.imgix.net/5a2c9e01-26a0-48ac-a039-15c8d713a41d/53014282225_45488988c1_o.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=min&fm=jpg&h=290&q=80&rect=0%2C0%2C5504%2C5504&w=290)
In their new book, co-authors and Stanford professors Rob Reich and Mehran Sahami argue that big tech’s obsession with optimization and efficiency has sacrificed fundamental human values. In this conversation, they outline steps we should take to change course and renew democracy.
![Power to the People? Free and Fair Elections in a Deeply Divided America](https://aspenideasfestival.imgix.net/caf8ed67-173c-4b7c-b28c-613d4803a23e/52175198851_0956fc65e9_o.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=min&fm=jpg&h=290&q=80&rect=827%2C0%2C3895%2C3895&w=290)
Benjamin Franklin famously warned that our government is a republic, if we can keep it. Most Americans don’t follow the highly pitched partisan battles that are waged over the redrawing of electoral districts after each decennial census. Yet, as we head into the 2022 midterm elections, a flurry of court rulings have upended the maps put in place by state legislators, findi...
![In Conversation with Paul Ryan](https://aspenideasfestival.imgix.net/null357b0c8e-d888-4204-bcb6-493b931494d3/48121212208_983e954bcb_o.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=min&fm=jpg&h=290&q=80&rect=686%2C0%2C2628%2C2628&w=290)
Former Speaker of the House Paul Ryan talks with Judy Woodruff about his life after Congress. How have the policies he helped implement fared under the current administration? What are Ryan’s views on current economic policies? He'll address what is going well, what we can do better, and the issues he'll prioritize in his post-Washington world. Underwritten by Southern Com...
![Citizenship and the Beginner’s Mind: How to Imagine Our Way Forward](https://aspenideasfestival.imgix.net/e21ff0c4-e793-4e94-812d-51bfbc6c5323/AdobeStock_268996719.jpeg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=min&fm=jpg&h=290&q=80&rect=1376%2C0%2C5504%2C5504&w=290)
In this creative session, global citizen-artist Yo-Yo Ma shares ideas with Eric Liu of Citizen University and the Aspen Institute for how to reimagine our lives and responsibilities in American democracy. Drawing on Ma’s new audio experience “Beginner’s Mind,” which traces his evolution as a musician and a human, this conversation will explore what it means to be a good an...