Watch Democracy In Chains

Democracy In Chains is a fascinating documentary film produced by Janson Media that explores the origins and impact of the radical libertarian movement in America. The film is based on the book of the same name by historian Nancy MacLean who offers a deeply researched and deeply disturbing account of how the political right came to dominate American politics and undermine democracy itself.

The documentary takes us on a journey from the early 20th century when economist James Buchanan began developing his theories of public choice theory, which proposed that the government is inherently unable to make rational decisions because politicians are motivated by self-interest rather than the good of the country. Buchanan believed that the power of government needed to be curtailed in order to protect individual liberties and promote free market capitalism.

This idea found a fertile ground in the economic and political upheavals of the 1960s and 1970s, which led to the rise of conservative think tanks and lobbying groups that worked tirelessly to promote the ideas of Buchanan and other libertarian intellectuals like Milton Friedman and Friedrich Hayek. These groups were funded by wealthy donors like the Koch brothers who shared their vision of a smaller, less intrusive government.

The film examines how this movement has worked to undermine democracy by promoting policies that favor the wealthy at the expense of the rest of us. For example, they have waged a relentless campaign against social welfare programs like Medicaid and Social Security, arguing that they amount to nothing more than socialism and are therefore an affront to the free market. They have also been instrumental in increasing economic inequality by pushing for tax cuts that benefit the wealthy and deregulation that allows corporations to operate with greater impunity.

One of the most disturbing aspects of the documentary is how it reveals the lengths to which these groups have gone to achieve their goals. They have worked to undermine the democratic process by pushing for restrictive voting laws and gerrymandering congressional districts in order to ensure that the GOP remains in power. They have also engaged in a sustained assault on public education, promoting charter schools and vouchers at the expense of traditional public schools.

The documentary also explores the role that race has played in the rise of the libertarian movement. Buchanan and his followers believed that the civil rights movement was a threat to their vision of a limited government and were deeply skeptical of the idea of equality. They saw affirmative action as a form of discrimination against whites and used coded language to appeal to white voters who felt threatened by the changing demographics of the country.

The film is a powerful indictment of the libertarian movement and its impact on American politics. It raises important questions about the role that money plays in politics and the dangers of allowing a small group of wealthy individuals to shape public policy. It also highlights the importance of democracy and the need to protect it from those who seek to undermine it.

Overall, Democracy In Chains is a thought-provoking and informative documentary that is essential viewing for anyone who is interested in politics, economics or the future of democracy in America. It offers a sobering reminder of how easily our freedoms can be eroded and why it is important to remain vigilant in the face of those who seek to undermine them.

Democracy In Chains is a series that ran for 1 seasons (5 episodes) between and on Janson Media