As imperial expansion strained Britain’s political system, its efforts to suppress the American colonies exposed the dangers of concentrated power. Paradoxically, these pressures led to democratic reforms that helped spread popular sovereignty around the world.
reflects on how a radical but largely forgotten aristocrat quietly reshaped the rules of British governance.
A democracy is only as strong as its press is free. This is not a slogan but an unavoidable reality. And for Europe, it makes the challenge of safeguarding independent journalism from intensifying pressures—such as political intimidation, business-model disruption, and AI-accelerated disinformation—nothing short of existential.
A democracy is only as strong as its press is free. This is not a slogan but an unavoidable reality. And for Europe, it makes the challenge of safeguarding independent journalism from intensifying pressures—such as political intimidation, business-model disruption, and AI-accelerated disinformation—nothing short of existential.
In this issue of PS Quarterly—available exclusively to Premium subscribers—Danielle Allen, Sarah M.S. Pearsall, Steve Pincus, and other leading thinkers examine the impact, limitations, and legacy of America’s founding document, and consider where US democracy is headed 250 years later.
Subscribe to PS Premium to secure the Declaration of Independence magazine
Jul 3, 2026 Barry Eichengreen compares SpaceX and other coming mega-IPOs to what followed that of Nippon Telegraph and Telephone in 1987.
Jul 3, 2026 Kenneth Rogoff explains how the continent could lose the AI race but turn its way of life into an export industry.
Jul 3, 2026 Ian Bremmer warns that Russia's isolated, aging, and frustrated leader could soon feel compelled to do something rash.
Jul 3, 2026 Marco Buti & Francesco Nicoli say that higher defense spending will mean little if the EU's largest economy acts unilaterally.
Jul 3, 2026 Danielle Allen reflects on how a radical but largely forgotten aristocrat quietly reshaped the rules of British governance.
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As imperial expansion strained Britain’s political system, its efforts to suppress the American colonies exposed the dangers of concentrated power. Paradoxically, these pressures led to democratic reforms that helped spread popular sovereignty around the world.
reflects on how a radical but largely forgotten aristocrat quietly reshaped the rules of British governance.
Ukraine has become the world's most important laboratory for AI-powered warfare, demonstrating how drones, software, and battlefield data are redefining strategic advantage. Its success shows how quickly the balance of power can shift toward countries that innovate and adapt to autonomous hard power.
says that Iran and Ukraine herald an era in which autonomous weapons determine how wars are fought and won.
Europe has no shortage of brilliant researchers and ambitious entrepreneurs, but it has consistently failed to create the conditions in which they can thrive. As geopolitical upheaval forces a long-overdue reckoning, the costs of over-regulation, risk aversion, and institutional inertia are finally coming into focus.
examine how the continent went from scientific powerhouse to cautious follower—and what to do about it.Thomas Jefferson’s immortal words in the Declaration of Independence inaugurated an “experiment” in self-government that continues to this day. Although the results have never been perfect, few other documents have had as profound and as enduring an influence on the modern world.
