Welcome to If You Were in Charge Season 2, a podcast featuring global peace strategist Sanam Naraghi Anderlini.

This week, Sanam speaks with Ece Temelkuran, renowned author of How to Lose a Country: The 7 Steps from Democracy to Dictatorship, which explores the mechanisms of autocracy and the decline of democratic principles.

Each week, Sanam tackles a major global challenge and hosts leading practitioners and innovators to share their work and solutions—if they were in charge with the necessary political and financial resources.

To bring in the perspective of a younger generation, Sanam is joined each week by one of her twin daughters. This episode features Soleh, a PhD student at Cambridge.

If You Were In Charge is brought to you by the Bjian Ghaisar Foundation

And ICAN International Civil Society Action Network

ICAN’s newsletter: https://icanpeacework.org/2025/03/sign-up-to-icans-newsletter/

Original Music, Little Monster Media 

Executive Producer: Pearse Lynch

This is an Africa Digital Audio Production

Chapters00:00

The Rise of Fascism: A Global Concern

03:07

Personal Reflections on Civic Engagement

05:56

Understanding the Steps to Fascism

08:57

The Role of Language and Political Discourse

11:51

Shamelessness in Politics: A Dangerous Trend

15:10

The Complicity of the Progressive Left

18:08

Dignity vs. Freedom: A New Political Narrative

21:09

The Importance of Historical Awareness

24:00

Reclaiming Dignity in Political Discourse

32:04

Radical Love in Politics

33:28

The Need for Honesty in Leadership

36:07

Wealth and Power Dynamics

38:28

The Impact of Inequality on Migration

40:21

Faith in Humanity as Resistance

42:58

Empathy and Human Exchange

43:52

Finding Hope in Community

45:50

The Importance of Giving

49:05

Reflections on Political Discourse

55:21

The Urgency of Political Action

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