Democricide

John Adams once said, ”There’s never been a democracy yet that didn’t die by suicide.” To which we ask, or was it... murder? If regicide is the murder of Kings, homicide is the murder of people, and herbicide is the murder of plants, then democricide is the murder of democracies. In each season of Democricide, sibling hosts Kenny and Heather will look at a different historical democracy and ask the question, who killed it?

Episodes

Jun 13, 2025

22 min

Athens wasn't always a democracy, but when a tyrant overplayed his hand and a revolutionary proposed something better to the masses, it launched a new form of government that changed the Greek world.
Sources: 
The Peloponnesian War, by Donald Kagan
Lords of the Sea, by John R. Hale

Jun 13, 2025

22 min

Jun 13, 2025

21 min

Athenian Democracy was established, but who cared? Compared to the mighty Persian empire, the Greek city states were a bunch of backwaters. And that's how history may have remembered them, if not for one suicidally ambitious Greek, and one desperately crafty athenian who saved his city from destruction.
Sources: 
The Peloponnesian War, by Donald Kagan
Lords of the Sea, by John R. Hale

Jun 13, 2025

21 min

Jun 13, 2025

21 min

After defeating the Persian empire, Athens and its democratic system were on top of the world. But prize fighters always attract challengers. And just down the road from Athens, another Greek city state thought it should be calling the shots. Envy turned to jealousy. And jealousy turned to murder.
Sources: 
The Peloponnesian War, by Donald Kagan
Lords of the Sea, by John R. Hale

Jun 13, 2025

21 min

Jun 13, 2025

34 min

For 20 years, Athens and Sparta fought, each unable to land a killing blow. But as the democratically elected Athenian leaders focused on the Spartans outside their walls, they lost track of the enemies within their own city. Treason brewed as oligarchs dreamed of murder.
Sources: 
The Peloponnesian War, by Donald Kagan
Lords of the Sea, by John R. Hale

Jun 13, 2025

34 min

Nov 24, 2025

1 hr 2 min

Kenny Austin here - Season 2 of Democricide is still in production, but I do have something to share with you this holiday season, the fourth annual Friendsgiving Podcast Spectacular.
Folks who have listened to my Abridged Presidential History podcast will be familiar to this tradition. For everyone else, It'll be something new! Four compelling podcast hosts sit down for a round table where each host gets to ask 1 question of each other host. Questions like:
On the eve of the United States' 250th birthday, what ideas or facts from the revolution could use more emphasis today?
Is there anyone from history your opinion pulled a 180 on as you learned more about them?
If you could take any one president and swap their place with any other president, who would you swap and why? 
Join me for a merry discussion with 3 of the best U.S. / Presidential History podcasters you'll find:
Howard Dorre, Plodding through the Presidents
Jerry Landry, Presidencies of the United States
Alycia, Civics & Coffee 

Nov 24, 2025

1 hr 2 min

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