Is The USA STILL A Democracy? | 250 Years Of American Independence

When did America actually become a democracy and could it be losing it?

As the United States marks 250 years since independence, this episode examines one of the country's biggest founding myths: that America has always been a democracy.

From the Constitution of 1787 to the Voting Rights Act of 1965, the programme traces how political rights gradually expanded from a system that excluded most Americans - including enslaved people, women, Native Americans and many Black citizens - to something closer to universal democracy.

If full democratic participation only became a reality around sixty years ago, what does that mean for the strength and resilience of the American system today?

Bianca Nobilo is joined by Professor of Political Science, Lucan Way, to explore what democracy has meant to Americans over the years.

00:00 Is America still a democracy?

02:22 Defining democracy - with Lucan Way

05:02 When did America become a full democracy?

09:43 Nixon and Trump

12:44 Free press (costs money)

15:00 Competitive authoritarian

18:33 Where have we seen this before?