Event

Renovating Democracy with Nicolas Berggruen, Reid Hoffman and Nathan Gardels

  • Date: April 26, 2019

Across the globe, democratic governance is under assault. The rise of populism in the West, and the rise of China in the East, have stirred a rethinking of how democratic systems work—and how they failed their citizens by not addressing the dislocation of globalization and the rapid disruption of technological change.

Yet, despite the increasing attention paid to the impact of globalism and digital capitalism, few concrete solutions that use technology and apply the realities of globalization have been offered to close the stark divide between the haves and the have-nots. Little has been done to repair the damaged social contract in countries around the world. The Berggruen Institute, the innovative California think tank, is answering this challenge with their new book, Renovating Democracy.

Berggruen Institute founders Nicolas Berggruen and Nathan Gardels challenge us to conceive of an alternative framework for governance. To truly renovate our global systems, the authors argue for empowering participation without populism by integrating social networks and direct democracy into the system. They outline steps for harnessing globalization through positive nationalism at home while advocating for global cooperation—specifically with a Chinese partnership—to create a viable rules-based world order.

In a special Saturday appearance at The Commonwealth Club, just weeks before critical elections in Europe where populists are pushing for more power, Berggruen, Gardels and Berggruen Institute board member Reid Hoffman, co-founder of LinkedIn, will discuss this new approach to governance and why such a forward-looking approach is so critically needed.

Video Highlights:


Universal Income Is a Handout, but Universal Basic Capital Is Ownership



Universal Income Is a Handout, but Universal Basic Capital Is Ownership


Data Sharing Can Be a Solution to Income Inequality



Data Sharing Can Be a Solution to Income Inequality


Predistribution In Practice: How Would This Economic System Actually Work?



Predistribution In Practice: How Would This Economic System Actually Work?


How Elections Actually Corrupt the Democratic Process



How Elections Actually Corrupt the Democratic Process


The Age of Social Media and It's Impact on Democracy



The Age of Social Media and It’s Impact on Democracy


An Introduction to the American Governance System and the Founding Fathers Views on Democracy



An Introduction to the American Governance System and the Founding Fathers Views on Democracy


Reid Hoffman Asks "Why Renovate?"



Reid Hoffman Asks “Why Renovate Democracy?”


Nicolas Berggruen Explains the Work of the Berggruen Institute



Nicolas Berggruen Explains the Work of the Berggruen Institute


Positive Nationalism



“Positive Nationalism”


Predistribution



Nathan Gardels Explains “Predistribution”


Participation Without Populism



Nathan Gardels Explains “Participation Without Populism”


Why "Renovating Democracy"?




Why “Renovating Democracy”?

Speakers

About The Berggruen Institute

About The Berggruen Institute

About The Berggruen Institute

About The Berggruen Institute

About The Berggruen Institute

About The Berggruen Institute

About The Berggruen Institute

About The Berggruen Institute

About The Berggruen Institute

About The Berggruen Institute

The Berggruen Institute’s mission is to develop foundational ideas and shape political, economic, and social institutions for the 21st century. Providing critical analysis using an outwardly expansive and purposeful network, we bring together some of the best minds and most authoritative voices from across cultural and political boundaries to explore fundamental questions of our time. Our objective is enduring impact on the progress and direction of societies around the world.