America’s Liberal Reckoning Debate

On Thursday, November 12, we will co-host a Munk Debate at the 92nd Street Y in New York in the immediate aftermath of the highly anticipated mid-term elections.

Motion: Be it resolved, liberalism has failed America

About the Debate

Since its founding in 1776, America’s liberal principles have been credited with delivering unprecedented freedom and prosperity. Yet critics on the New Right argue that liberalism has failed not because it fell short of its promises, but because it fulfilled them too well. By liberating individuals from traditional social, cultural, economic, and political constraints, they argue, liberalism has produced a society that is increasingly isolated, unequal, and disconnected from the institutions that give life meaning. Saving America’s future, they argue, requires moving beyond liberalism. Liberalism’s defenders maintain that its commitment to individual rights, free markets, free expression, and democratic institutions has been the foundation of America’s prosperity and freedom. Liberal institutions provide the strongest safeguards against both government overreach and the tyranny of the majority, while its emphasis on pluralism allows people with deeply different beliefs to live together peacefully. Rather than abandon liberalism, its champions argue, America should renew its commitment to the principles that have made it the world’s most prosperous and free society.

The Debaters

Arguing in favor of the motion is CNN anchor, Washington Post columnist, international bestselling author, former Munk Debater and steadfast defender of liberal democracy Fareed Zakaria. Opposing him is Notre Dame political philosopher Patrick Deneen, whose books Why Liberalism Failed and Regime Change: Toward a Postliberal Future have been widely cited and debated by figures across the “New Right” movement and praised by JD Vance.

When:

Thursday, November 12, 2026

7:00 PM to 8:30 PM ET

Ticketing Details

Tickets are now on sale and can be purchased here.

How to Watch

Live and on-demand streaming of this debate will be available exclusively for Munk Donors, Curators, and Supporters.

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