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Tocqueville Road Trip: 1. Game of chance

Tocqueville Road Trip: 1. Game of chance

The Intelligence from The Economist
Jun 13, 2026 51 min
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About this episode

<p>John Prideaux, <em>The Economist</em>’s US Editor, embarks on a roadtrip to see how America’s democracy is faring in the era of Trump. </p><br><p>His companion is a long-dead French aristocrat called Alexis De Tocqueville, author of arguably the best book ever written about America. </p><br><p>When Tocqueville arrived in New York in 1831, it was a small, low-slung city where pigs roamed the streets. But he was able to see past that—to a vision of the future.</p><br><p>Arriving in Manhattan today, John finds cause for concern, even among the island’s wealthiest residents. </p><br><p>Guests and Hosts</p><p><br></p><ul><li>John Prideaux, <em>The Economist</em>’s US Editor</li><li>Babara Tober, Philanthropist and former Editor of <em>Brides</em> magazine</li><li>John Catsimatidis, CEO of Red Apple Group</li></ul><p><br></p><p>Topics </p><p><br></p><ul><li>Alexis de Tocqueville’s <em>Democracy in America</em></li><li>‘Equality of conditions’ at 250</li><li>The election of Zohran Mamdani</li><li>Declining faith in American democracy</li></ul><p><br></p><p>Let us know what you think. Email podcasts@economist.com </p><br><p>To listen to the full series, subscribe to <a href="https://subscribenow.economist.com/podcasts-plus" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Economist Podcasts+</a>.</p><br><p>If you’re already a subscriber to <em>The Economist</em>, you have full access to all our shows as part of your subscription. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our <a href="https://myaccount.economist.com/s/article/What-is-Economist-Podcasts" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">FAQs</a> page or watch our <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gczo71bg1uY" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">video</a> explaining how to link your account.</p><p><br></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

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