A Whisper to a Roar

"A Whisper to a Roar" was inspired by one of my professors, Larry Diamond. The basic thesis of the movie was that power corrupts, so we don't need populist leaders, but rather populist political structures, to ensure that the state represents people's interests.

The movie shows how that has rung true in democracy movements in Egypt, Malaysia, Ukraine, Venezuela and Zimbabwe. I had heard some about each of those movements, but it was great to see more about each of them in an in-depth and engaging manner. With each state, the movie starts with how the leader got in power (usually from a populist movement where they ran on a platform of increasing democracy), what they did when they came to power, and the movements that are challenging them.

The movie presented a very hopeful outlook for each country, with new leaders or movements gaining power in each case. Of course, though, there are a ton of issues in each place to address, so it's no simple issue.