The Global War on Free Speech

The Global War on Free Speech

Author: The Reason Interview With Nick Gillespie May 15, 2026 Duration: 1:02:27
Jacob Mchangama and Jeff Kosseff discuss the global decline of free speech, why democracies are embracing censorship, and what can be done to protect open debate.

The conversations on The Reason Interview With Nick Gillespie move beyond the day's headlines to explore the deeper ideas shaping our world. Host Nick Gillespie engages with a wide range of guests-from politicians and policy experts to novelists, tech founders, and cultural critics-in dialogues that are substantive yet accessible. This podcast delves into the intersection of individual liberty, innovation, and societal change, examining how libertarian principles apply to contemporary debates. Each episode is a long-form discussion where guests explain their work and worldview in detail, offering listeners a nuanced perspective often missing from soundbite-driven media. You'll hear analyses of political movements, discussions on artistic expression, and debates about the future of technology and free speech. The tone is curious and challenging, favoring open inquiry over partisan talking points. For anyone interested in the forces driving politics and culture, this series provides thoughtful context for understanding both current events and the underlying trends that will define what comes next. Tune in for consistently engaging interviews that illuminate the people and ideas actively constructing the twenty-first century.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 100

The Reason Interview With Nick Gillespie
Podcast Episodes
Andy Serkis: What Orwell Understood About Tyranny [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:35
Andy Serkis discusses the corrupting nature of power, what Animal Farm says about modern authoritarianism, and whether technology expands or diminishes human creativity.
Prison Doesn't Work the Way You Think [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:08:14
Economist Jennifer Doleac discusses why long sentences don’t reduce crime, how first-time defendants benefit from leniency, and why clearance rates are key to crime reduction.
How the Iran War Could Backfire [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:26
Emma Ashford discusses Trump’s incoherent Iran strategy, the failures of post–Cold War foreign policy, and why a multipolar world limits American power.
The Rise of the Information State [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:18:19
Jacob Siegel discusses how the internet reshaped political power, the rise of technocratic rule, and why information control keeps failing.
Ro Khanna: Congress Has Surrendered on War [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 55:08
The California congressman discusses the Iran war, unchecked executive power, California’s wealth tax debate, and the search for a shared American identity.
How Capitalism Lost the Working Class [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:07:50
Brink Lindsey discusses the gap between mass prosperity and mass flourishing, capitalism’s crisis of inclusion, and the implications of falling fertility.