America needs an engaged and informed citizenry capable of defending democracy, but what if they aren't sure what democracy means? Too many Americans have become disillusioned or disengaged when they encounter confusing concepts amid a fire hose of misguided conspiracies, fact-free opinions and disinformation. In order to grasp the complexities of our political system, it's time to embark on a little “refresher course” of civic vocabulary needed to navigate today’s complex political landscape.

Topics Discussed in this Episode:

• [06:56] ideology
• [08:43] democracy
• [09:27] oligarchies
• [09:50] autocracies
• [13:46] liberals
• [21:46] the Great Switch
• [22:20] progressives
• [23:30] communism
• [25:10] socialism
• [27:30] conservatives
• [33:20] independents
• [35:40] Libertarians
• [35:10] anarchy
• [36:58] dystopia
• [39:30] fascism

Episode Music: An Epic Story, by MaxKoMusic | https://maxkomusic.com/
Music promoted by https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/
Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported (CC BY-SA 3.0)
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

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The time-honored motif of the hero’s journey, found in narratives of myth, religion, culture, and politics, applies not only to our personal lives, but also to the journey of democracy. Here, at the crossroads of American heroism and depravity, the rule of the people requires our participation lest it slip from our fingers altogether. What does the American quest hold for the future? America’s adventure requires that, as a people, we learn the value of democracy, win newfound integrity, and transform our nation to fulfill its promised liberties. American Musecast speaks as a hopeful guide through civics, current events, and the charms and challenges of our socio-political institutions. (A reminder to like and follow.)