"Liberal democracies around the world are now among the most unequal societies ever to have existed in human history," says Winters.
Democracy is an illusion! It’s become a political system fostered by the élite, for the élite, in order to fool the people that they have a stake in the system. In actual fact, they have virtually none. The whole political system in the modern era, despite having noble beginnings, is now used to benefit the few at the expense of the many. – Mark Alexander, June 29, 2018
July 19, 2026
Democracy Now! "How Oligarchs Dominate Our Democracies": Northwestern Prof Jeffrey Winters on Book The Blind Spot
May 27, 2026 | We speak with political scientist Jeffrey Winters about his new book, The Blind Spot: How Oligarchs Dominate Our Democracies. Winters argues that democracy's failure to address wealth inequality is by design. While voters have a say on some issues, oligarchs, who succeed in maintaining economic inequality by fighting against wealth redistribution, have more power.
"Liberal democracies around the world are now among the most unequal societies ever to have existed in human history," says Winters.
"Liberal democracies around the world are now among the most unequal societies ever to have existed in human history," says Winters.