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Autocracy in America

The CEO

Autocracy in America

The Atlantic

Politics, News, Society & Culture

4.8999 Ratings

🗓️ 15 August 2025

⏱️ 38 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

With the United States stepping back from its global leadership role, many around Europe and the world are waiting for Germany to step forward. Will it? Host Garry Kasparov is joined by Mathias Döpfner, CEO of the German multinational media and technology company Axel Springer, who argues that Europe is a “Sleeping Beauty” that must awaken to protect democracy and the open-society model. But can Germany overcome its historical guilt to become a leader in that fight?  Get more from your favorite Atlantic voices when you subscribe. You’ll enjoy unlimited access to Pulitzer-winning journalism, from clear-eyed analysis and insight on breaking news to fascinating explorations of our world. Subscribe today at TheAtlantic.com/listener. Garry chairs the Renew Democracy Initiative, publisher of The Next Move. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0

At L'Oreal Group, we aim to decrease the use of virgin plastic in our packaging by 50% by 2030.

0:11.0

This is how we create the beauty that moves the world.

0:15.1

If you're in traffic right now, look around. You'll see empty car seats.

0:18.8

Nobody loves sitting in traffic.

0:20.5

We don't. And neither do I so. Every filled passenger seat in this jam could mean one less car on the road. And ESO want to help with that. Carpooling could mean less traffic. Split fuel bills. And new friends. Are we friends? I added you on social media. We don't have social media. We're bubbleheads. No, I've got social media.

0:38.7

More journeys made together.

0:40.6

That's thoughtful driving.

0:42.7

S.O.cesso.com.uk.

0:46.8

I was born on the wrong side of the Burma Wall.

0:59.0

When I visited Ronald Reagan's ranch center in Santa Barbara, California in 2016, they had a big piece of the wall Reagan helped tear down on display.

1:04.0

I joked that I didn't recognize it because I had only seen the other side.

1:09.0

Back in 1987, I was speaking at an event in West Germany, and I told people that I was sure

1:15.6

that the collapse of the Berlin Wall was inevitable and would happen very soon.

1:19.9

They looked at me like, okay, that's crazy, but he's young, 24, and he's just a chess player.

1:26.1

What does he know?

1:27.4

And they stopped listening.

1:29.0

This was before Ronald Reagan's famous tear down his small speech in Berlin, which was

1:33.9

around a month later.

1:36.0

Another famous forwards from the US president also concerned Berlin.

1:40.9

President Harry Truman said, we stay in Berlin to promise that U.S. forces would protect and supply

1:47.8

West Berlin during Stalin siege of the city in 1948, the famous Berlin airlift.

1:54.6

Not to put myself in the company of U.S. presidents, but I was inspired by Reagan and Truman in my

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