Hugo Drochon Says Elites Are Inevitable

I don't think populism is necessarily a challenge to democracy. I think it's part and parcel of it.

Hugo Drochon

Hugo Drochon joins The Democracy Paradox to explore why elites are an unavoidable part of democracy – and why that may not be a bad thing. Drawing on classical elite theory, he explains how democratic systems depend on the constant circulation of competing elites and why outsider movements, including populism, can play a vital role in keeping democracy responsive. The conversation challenges conventional views by reframing democracy as an ongoing, dynamic struggle rather than a fixed set of institutions.

Hugo Drochon is an Associate Professor in Political Theory at the University of Nottingham and the author of a new book titled Elites and Democracy. 

The Democracy Paradox is made in partnership with the Kellogg Institute of the Keough School of Global Affairs at the University of Notre Dame. 

Read the full transcript here.

Key Highlights

• Introduction - 0:20
• Nobody Wants to be an Elite - 3:52
• Lions, Foxes, and the Circulation of Elites - 15:34
• Is Populism a Threat to Democracy? - 31:37
• The Role of Ordinary Citizens - 41:12

Links

Learn more about Hugo Drochon.

Learn more about his upcoming book Elites and Democracy (Princeton University Press)

Learn more about the Kellogg Institute.

Register for the 2026 Global Democracy Conference at the University of Notre Dame.

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