Dictators v Democrats: Why We Fight

TA Mullis
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A 'Dictators v Democrats' program https://tamullis.substack.com/  Buy Me A Coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/tamullis Patreon: patreon.com/DictatorsvDemocrats Join the Discord: https://discord.gg/vsTNKRvy Democracy is at war. We can see the forces rallied against it: autocratic states like Russia, China, Iran and North Korea, techno-aristocrats, religious fundamentalists and populist demagogues.  From the trenches of Ukraine to the halls of power in the US, democratic, free values are under determined assault.  But, there are those who resist.  In 'Why We Fight' we talk to those who claim to be defending democracy; that's everyone from soldiers, protestors, activists, religious leaders, industrialists and politicians.  We find out who they are, what drove them to take up the struggle, what their work is and why their idea of democracy is worth fighting for.

  1. 6D AGO

    No War, No Appeasement: Zolal Habibi on Iran’s Fight for Freedom

    Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Dictators v Democrats: Why We Fight, We speak with Iranian human rights activist Zolal Habibi of the National Council of Resistance of Iran. Born into a family shaped by repression Habibi has spent her life advocating for a democratic alternative to the Islamic Republic.  Amongst the backdrop of America and Israel's war on Iran They discuss:  The reality of resistance inside Iran  Why repeated uprisings haven’t yet toppled the regime  The role of women at the forefront of protest movements  The controversy and vision behind the NCRI The lack of nuance among Western commentators Why she argues the solution is “neither war nor appeasement”And ultimately, what a free Iran could look like — and whether it’s closer than we think. Support the show

    1h 12m

  2. MAR 27

    Jaden Braves on Gen Z, Power, and the Future of Democracy

    Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Dictators v Democrats: Why We Fight, We sit down with Jaden Braves a young Canadian political organiser and director at the Sephira Institute. They explore how a new generation is engaging with democracy—and where it’s breaking down. From flawed electoral systems and youth disengagement to the impact of social media, foreign influence, and global conflict, Jaden argues that democratic systems are failing to keep up with the world they now operate in. The conversation covers:  Why young people feel locked out of politics  The case for lowering the voting age  Social media as a national security threat  Whether democracy is “at war” globally  How Gen Z is being shaped—and misled—by information overload This is a wide-ranging discussion about power, participation, and what democracy needs to survive in the 21st century. Support the show

    56 min

  3. MAR 22

    Is Democracy Broken? Metin Peckin’s Radical Case Against Political Parties

    Send us Fan Mail Are political parties actually undermining democracy? In this episode of Dictators v Democrats: Why We Fight, We sit down with businessman-turned-author Metin Peckin, whose new book Breaking Democracy’s Chains argues that the biggest threat to modern democracy isn’t dictators—it’s the system itself. Peckin makes a provocative case: political parties have become gatekeepers, limiting true representation and concentrating power in the hands of wealthy elites and entrenched interests. Drawing on history—from the warnings of the American Founding Fathers to modern examples like the Iraq War and Citizens United—he argues that democracy has been captured. Together, we explore:  Why political parties may be “the bottleneck” in representation  How money and elite influence shape modern politics  Whether independent candidates could replace party systems  A radical proposal for a party-less democracy  The role of technology in transforming representation  The limits of freedom, and what democracy should actually mean Peckin also outlines his proposed reforms, including independent MPs, ranked-choice voting, and a “democracy tax” designed to curb the influence of big money in politics. This is a challenging, wide-ranging conversation about whether democracy as we know it still works—and what it might take to fix it. Support the show

    1h 1m

  4. FEB 28

    Dr. Roberto Foa: Why Faith in Democracy Is Eroding — and How It Can Be Saved

    Send us Fan Mail  In this episode of Dictators v Democrats: Why We Fight, We speak with Dr. Roberto Foa, one of the world’s leading political scientists studying democratic legitimacy and populism. Drawing on decades of research into public attitudes, Dr. Foa explains his influential theory of “democratic deconsolidation” — the erosion of faith in democracy, particularly among younger generations.  We explore why democratic values like tolerance, trust, and fairness are under strain, how populism exploits genuine public grievances, and what must be done to renew democratic engagement in the digital age.  This is a conversation about the fragility of democracy, the responsibilities of citizens and elites, and whether democracy can adapt to survive the pressures of the 21st century.  Support the show

    57 min

  5. FEB 13

    Dmytro Koziatynskyi: Fighting Corruption While Fighting a War

    Send us Fan Mail *Note from the host - I apologize for the missed weeks, a combination of holiday and family concerns. Also, my audio in this one is a little poor, unfortunately my good mic has developed an issue.* In this episode, we speak with Ukrainian veteran and civil activist Dmytro Koziatynskyi, a former combat medic who returned from war to fight a different battle — defending democracy at home in Ukraine. After serving on the front lines following Russia’s full-scale invasion, Koziatynskyi became a central figure in organising mass protests against controversial anti-corruption legislation that many feared would undermine the independence of National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine and Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office. The demonstrations, held during wartime and under martial law, forced a political U-turn by the government of Volodymyr Zelenskyy — a rare and remarkable example of democratic pressure succeeding during an existential national conflict. Koziatynskyi discusses his journey from civilian entrepreneur to battlefield medic, and from soldier to protest organiser. He explains the risks of public dissent during war, the role of civil society in resisting authoritarian drift, and why he believes individual action can still shape the fate of nations. This conversation explores corruption, democracy under fire, Ukraine’s European future, and what citizens everywhere can learn from a society fighting for survival while refusing to surrender its democratic values. Support the show

    51 min

  6. JAN 23

    The Uyghur Journalist: Mamatjan Juma

    Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Dictators v Democrats: Why We Fight, we speak with Mamatjan Juma, a veteran Uyghur journalist and one of the most important voices documenting China’s repression in Xinjiang. For nearly two decades, Juma reported for Radio Free Asia’s Uyghur Service, helping to expose the reality of mass internment, forced labour, family separation and the systematic erasure of Uyghur identity. His reporting was among the first to bring credible, source-based evidence of the camps to the outside world — long before governments were willing to name them for what they were. That work came at a devastating personal cost. Like many Uyghur journalists, Juma has seen members of his own family targeted by the Chinese state, a reminder that authoritarian power does not stop at borders and does not distinguish between professional reporting and collective punishment. We discuss how independent Uyghur journalism has survived under extraordinary pressure, how Beijing wages transnational repression against exiled journalists, and why the closure of trusted outlets makes new initiatives like the Uyghur News Network more vital than ever. This conversation is not only about Xinjiang. It is about truth under dictatorship, the fragility of press freedom, and what democracies lose when crimes against humanity are allowed to fade into the background noise of global politics. Episode bullet points Who Mamatjan Juma is and why his journalism mattersHow early Uyghur-language reporting exposed the internment campsThe personal cost of reporting on Xinjiang from exileChina’s use of intimidation, surveillance and family punishmentTransnational repression beyond China’s bordersThe collapse of legacy platforms and the rise of new Uyghur mediaHow journalists verify information under total state controlWhat democracies risk by looking away from XinjiangSupport the show

    57 min

  7. JAN 16

    The Anonymous Donor to Ukraine

    Send us Fan Mail In this special and unusually candid episode of Dictators v Democrats: Why We Fight, we speak to an anonymous American investor who has privately channelled close to half a million dollars into Ukrainian frontline units fighting Russia’s invasion.  At his request, this interview is audio-only and his voice has been altered.  Our guest explains what drove him, as a private citizen, to step far beyond conventional charity and into direct support for military units. Drawing on first-hand relationships with Ukrainian soldiers and volunteers, he outlines how crowdfunding, “angel investors”, and rapid private procurement have become decisive factors on the battlefield. From drones and electronic warfare to logistics and innovation, he describes how Ukrainian units increasingly function like start-ups, adapting faster than traditional military supply chains ever could. The conversation goes beyond hardware. We discuss Bucha and occupied territories, the moral calculus of inaction, and why he believes delays and half-measures translate directly into civilian suffering. He addresses the legal and ethical objections often raised in the West, arguing that they collapse when confronted with mass atrocities and imperial aggression. The episode also tackles the information war. Our guest explains how Russian propaganda exploits religious, political and cultural divisions in the United States and Europe, and why Ukraine, in his view, represents a clearer moral line than many past conflicts.  He speaks openly about faith, freedom, responsibility, and why he believes Ukraine’s fight is inseparable from the future of democracy in the West. Support the show

    1h 3m

  8. JAN 9

    Jakub Kalensky: Building Europe's Information Fortress

    Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Dictators v Democrats: Why We Fight, we speak with Jakub Kalenský, one of Europe’s leading experts on disinformation, hybrid threats, and information warfare. Jakub is Deputy Director at the European Centre of Excellence for Countering Hybrid Threats in Helsinki and a former senior figure behind the EU’s flagship EUvsDisinfo initiative. For over a decade, he has worked at the sharp end of efforts to expose and counter authoritarian influence operations, particularly those originating from the Kremlin. We explore how modern disinformation campaigns actually work, why repetition and scale matter more than persuasive narratives, and why democracies remain structurally vulnerable in the information space. Jakub lays out his “four lines of defence” for countering disinformation, from detection and data collection to deterrence and punishment, and explains why Western governments consistently underinvest in this fight. The conversation also examines how artificial intelligence is accelerating information warfare, enabling mass content production, micro-targeting, and more sophisticated language use — while also offering potential defensive tools for democracies. We discuss the role of social media platforms, the limits of free speech arguments, and whether the information space should be treated as critical national infrastructure. Finally, we turn to values: democracy, freedom, and why Ukraine has become the defining frontline in the global struggle against authoritarianism — not just militarily, but informationally. This is a wide-ranging, unsparing look at one of the most consequential and least understood battlefields of our time. Support the show

    53 min
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About

A 'Dictators v Democrats' program https://tamullis.substack.com/  Buy Me A Coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/tamullis Patreon: patreon.com/DictatorsvDemocrats Join the Discord: https://discord.gg/vsTNKRvy Democracy is at war. We can see the forces rallied against it: autocratic states like Russia, China, Iran and North Korea, techno-aristocrats, religious fundamentalists and populist demagogues.  From the trenches of Ukraine to the halls of power in the US, democratic, free values are under determined assault.  But, there are those who resist.  In 'Why We Fight' we talk to those who claim to be defending democracy; that's everyone from soldiers, protestors, activists, religious leaders, industrialists and politicians.  We find out who they are, what drove them to take up the struggle, what their work is and why their idea of democracy is worth fighting for.

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