Finding a Path to True Democracy

In this new episode of Policy Prompt, hosts Paul Samson and Vass Bednar return to the Pnyx hillside in ancient Athens to ask: What can the origins of democracy teach our fractured modern world? James Bacchus — a former member of the US Congress and a founding member of the World Trade Organization’s Appellate Body — argues that democracy and sustainable development are not separate goals and advocates for a radical shift toward participatory democracy and sortition.

In this policy brief, Andrew Heffernan argues that Africa is uniquely positioned to pioneer governance frameworks that tackle the extractive practices of global tech giants. Heffernan advocates for a unified regulatory system established through the African Union, focused on three pillars: data privacy, cybersecurity and corporate accountability. You can also watch the author discuss some of his key points and the path toward digital sovereignty in this video feature.

In this new paper, author Michael C. Horowitz explores the shifting landscape of military technology, where private companies are now at the cutting edge of artificial intelligence (AI) development. As geopolitical tensions threaten to stifle international cooperation, Horowitz warns that regulation must keep pace to prevent accidents or the misuse of autonomous systems that could lead to unintended escalation.

James A. Haley warns that the hard-won independence of the US Federal Reserve is facing its gravest threat in decades. With Kevin Warsh nominated to succeed Powell in May, Haley questions whether the new leadership will uphold the Fed’s core mission or acquiesce to populist demands for “easy money” and deregulation.

In this commentary, first published by Canada's National Observer, Julian Lam and Stewart Beck propose a “third path” for middle powers seeking strategic autonomy amid an AI landscape dominated by the United States and China. By converging Canada’s advanced AI research with India’s massive deployment scale, the authors argue, both nations can build sovereign climate intelligence systems to predict floods, wildfires and monsoon variability.