Australia built its democracy on the American model, then kept revising it: the secret ballot, ranked-choice voting, proportional representation, and elections that Australians across the political spectrum actually trust. In our new season, we travel Down Under to explore how a country so similar to ours, including in its history of white supremacy and Indigenous genocide, ended up with a democracy that works so differently, and what the U.S. can learn from it.
Latest episodes
Showing 20 · updated from the feed
From Penal Colony to Democracy Lab
How does a British penal colony become one of the world's most trusted democracies?
Ruth and Colin head back to 1788 to trace how a society of convicts and guards pionee
Oct 12 42 min
Vote, Surf, Sausage: A Recipe for Trust Down Under
Welcome to Season 3 of The Future of Our Former Democracy!
Colin is joined by new co-host Ruth Greenwood, director of Harvard Law School's Election Law Clinic and proud
Oct 5 33 min
Season 3 Trailer: The Commonwealth of Australia
Australia built its democracy on the American model, then kept revising it: the secret ballot, ranked-choice voting, proportional representation, and elections that Austr
Sep 21 4 min
Bonus: Who Gets To Belong? Voices from Ukraine and Syria
This bonus episode is a recording of a panel presentation from More Equitable Democracy's 2025 learning tour to Germany. The panel featured four international voices - im
May 20 49 min
Bonus: Berit and Khuê: Growing Up During German Reunification
In this bonus episode, Berit, born in East Germany, and Khuê, born in West Berlin, share their respective perspectives and stories of growing up during German reunificati
Apr 14 25 min
From the Black Forest to the Rose City: Seeding PR at Home
Throughout this season, we've heard excerpts from interviews and presentations that were part of a February 2025 learning tour organized by More Equitable Democracy. This
Apr 7 48 min
The "New Germans": Identity and Belonging in Modern Germany
While Germany makes a continuous effort to grapple with their past and practice remembrance of historic atrocities, there are still significant tensions today about Germa
Mar 31 58 min
Alternative für Amerika: MAGA, AfD, and the Politics of Division
In Germany, as in the United States and much of Europe, there has been a rising surge of support for far-right populism and anti-democratic forces. This is exemplified in
Mar 24 59 min
Project 1933: How to Dismantle a Democracy (and How to Rebuild)
In this episode, Heather and Colin walk through how Hitler and the Nazi Party executed their plan to dismantle Germany democracy and, often under-examined, how German dem
Mar 17 52 min
Beer Hall Demagogues: German Democracy's Rocky Start
Many people know that the Nazis came to power in 1933 under Germany's democratic system, but fewer people know how they got there in the first place. In this episode, Col
Mar 10 51 min
The Democracy Frog is Boiling
While the United States slips deeper into authoritarianism, Heather Villanueva and Colin Cole from More Equitable Democracy explore how Germany redesigned their elections
Mar 3 41 min
Season 2 Trailer: The Federal Republic of Germany
After the end of World War II, Germany adopted a new electoral system designed to prevent a faction like the Nazis from taking over government ever again. In our new seas
Feb 19 3 min
Bonus: Pádraig Ó Tuama in Conversation
In this bonus episode of 'The Future of Our Former Democracy,' we’re sharing our extended conversation with poet, theologian, and conflict mediator, Pádraig Ó Tuama.
Dec 4 2024 52 min
Bonus: Yemi Adenuga & Hazel Chu in Conversation
This bonus episode we’re sharing a panel discussion between Councilor Hazel Chu from the Dublin City Council and former Lord Mayor of Dublin and Councilor Yemi Adenuga fr
Nov 27 2024 1 h 03 min
Bonus: A Conversation with Claire Hanna, MP for Belfast South and Mid Down
In this bonus episode, George sits down with Claire Hanna, Member of Parliament from the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) representing Belfast South and Mid Down
Nov 20 2024 42 min
Bonus: The Power of Language, Poetry, and Identity: Insights from Pádraig Ó Tuama
In this bonus episode, listeners can hear the full presentation and poetry reading from Irish poet, conflict mediator, and theologian Pádraig Ó Tuama, which was excerpted
Nov 12 2024 39 min
Electoral Exchange: Our Learning Tour to the Island of Ireland
This episode is a special postscript of 'The Future of Our Former Democracy,' focusing on a learning tour organized by More Equitable Democracy to the Republic of Ireland
Nov 6 2024 1 h 17 min
Shared Power, Shared Future: The Slow Path to Lasting Peace
In our final episode of the season, George and Colin explore the historic and ongoing dynamics of Northern Ireland's peace process, focusing on the transformative impact
Oct 30 2024 1 h 01 min
Bullets to Ballots - Past Lessons and Present Challenges from The Troubles
George and Colin get into The Troubles - Northern Ireland's turbulent period from the late 1960s to 1998. They discuss the social, political, and sectarian divisions that
Oct 23 2024 1 h 18 min
A Tale of Three Cities – Revisiting Proportional Representation in the U.S.
George and Colin turn their attention to the US – because believe it or not, parts of the US once used proportional representation! They explore the history and impact of
Oct 16 2024 59 min
Chart positions
Where The Future of Our Former Democracy ranks today in each Apple Podcasts chart (US, Oct 14, 2026).
A curated, balanced selection of Apple Podcasts reviews.
This podcast is a breath of fresh air in a subject that too often dives headfirst into the murky waters of math, parties, and punditry. George and Colin have a gift for keeping the focus on real people participating in elections to decide what they want to do together. It’s entertaining, informative, thought-provoking and so consistently refreshing that you might forget you are learning about one of the most important issues of our time.
PRadvocate · Jun 2025
Northern Ireland presents a great case study in how proportional representation can calm down deep sectarian divisions and even political violence. Great storytelling with compelling human stories.
skhejdnx · Apr 2025
I really enjoyed this podcast and learning about the Proportional Representation electoral system primarily based on its use in Northern Ireland. The information is presented very well, and the hosts are very engaging. Even my kid enjoyed the show, and complimented their government class in high school.
JS Storm · Mar 2025
I love this podcast! Fresh, thoughtful, thought provoking and well produced. I hung on every word. Can’t wait to listen to more
LDThompsonOfficial · Feb 2025
Herr im Himmel! I was really looking forward to this podcast. I worked as a political journalist in Germany for more than 20 years. I just returned to the States in November after my last tour, which lasted ten years. I also studied German history and speak German. So I like to think that I have a reasonable understanding of the situation in Germany.
This podcast is just so inferior and poor.
It is one thing that it is clearly biased from a far-left perspective. Well, if you know that, you can listen to it with a certain scepticism, knowing that it is not neutral and unbiased. But above all, this podcast is really poorly made.
If you only ask people who confirm your own opinion, then nothing better can come of it. In fact, only one expert, a professor, is given a chance to speak, and he is only allowed to contribute a few sentences. The other people who want to explain the world to us are either some random people at an election party (exclusively for the Green Party, of course). Or tour guides!!!! They are always praised to the skies, but they make incredible mistakes (for example, that the Verfassungsschutz, Germany's domestic intelligence service, is subordinate to the Bundesverfassungsgericht, the German Supreme Court. Of course, it is not; it is subordinate to the Home Secretary). These are not minor details, but fundamental errors that suggest complete ignorance (or deception?). And they also create a completely false picture.
I will probably listen to the second episode as well, but I don't expect much. If you are interested in the topic, you are better off reading Wikipedia.
Chris-747 · Mar 2026
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Here you find the Apple Podcasts chart positions of The Future of Our Former Democracy , its latest episodes to listen to directly, and reviews from listeners. Rankings are updated daily for the United States.
