# 2. Against all obstacles

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/economist-podcasts-921330/2-against-all-obstacles
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/economist-podcasts-921330/2-against-all-obstacles.md
Podcast: [Economist Podcasts](https://stenobird.com/podcast/economist-podcasts-921330)
Published: 2026-06-11T11:51:40+00:00
Episode link: https://shows.acast.com/tocqueville-road-trip/episodes/2-against-all-obstacles
Audio file: https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/69e7c7181e1e812364e52084/a/theeconomistallaudio/e/6a292f1ba917ce4c70b971e3/media.mp3?tk=eyJ0ayI6ImRlZmF1bHQiLCJhZHMiOnRydWUsInNwb25zIjp0cnVlLCJzdGF0dXMiOiJwdWJsaWMifQ==&sig=mCd7DBIeddz_t8GmhFszukxnCsdtsFmWnz1dEhWo1eI
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Duration seconds: 2663

## Resource

Tocqueville saw America’s faith in its own democracy as a vital force. But these days the majority of Americans think the country is headed in the wrong direction. Can a group of maximum security prisoners in Sing Sing offer a vision of how to get back on track? Guests and Hosts John Prideaux, The Economist ’s US Editor Sean Pica, executive director of Hudson Link for Higher Education in Prison  Jean Frantz, prisoner at Sing Sing Correctional Facility  Topics  Alexis de Tocqueville’s views on voluntary associations Sing Sing prison education programme Prisoners’ views on the American dream Let us know what you think. Email podcasts@economist.com To listen to the full series, subscribe to Economist Podcasts+ . If you’re already a subscriber to The Economist , you have full access to all our shows as part of your subscription. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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## Transcript

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