Estonia is one of the best performing post-Soviet countries, thanks in no small part to its revolutionary digital democracy. But it’s not all computer code—there’s something about the Estonian attitude that’s crucial to its success, and it’s something all democracies can learn from.

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When Estonia regained its independence from the Soviet Union in 1991 and restored liberal democracy, the small Baltic country’s leaders knew that they wanted to catch up with the rest of the developed world, and more. Embracing an optimistic, can-do attitude, Estonians pursued cutting edge technology in both the public and private spheres. The country developed a unique conception of “digital democracy,” in which every citizen could access public services online. But while Estonia has gotten plenty of press attention for its digital futurism, the country’s success is about more than just the tech. There’s an Estonian attitude that underpins all of its incredible innovations and allows its people to bridge seemingly irreconcilable tensions at the core of liberal democracy, whether that’s fiscal responsibility and social solidarity, tradition and progress, or the public and private sectors.

Spectacles is a love letter to democracy, its values, its caretakers, and its ideas. Around the world, individual rights and representative government are facing unprecedented attacks from the forces of reaction and revisionism. But despite liberal democracy’s real shortcomings and today’s all-too-fashionable cynicism, we remain committed to its preservation and improvement. Join us as we explore just what liberal democracy is, how it comes about, and how it can best be maintained in a changing world.
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CHAPTERS
00:00-01:18 INTRO
01:18-03:32 NOSTALGIC OPTIMISM
03:32-06:22 PUBLIC PRIVACY
06:22-10:06 CONSERVATIVE WELFARE
10:06-12:01 ESTONIAN ATTITUDE