Is Communism Compatible With Constitutionalism? | Fireside Chat with Elizabeth Spalding (Ep. 3)

In this episode, Professor Elizabeth Spalding joins the Institute’s Professor Michael Gonzalez in examining a foundational question: Is communism compatible with constitutionalism? Drawing from history, political philosophy, and lived experience, the discussion moves beyond theory to confront the real-world consequences of ideas that have shaped the modern world.

Topics include:

• Why a written constitution alone is not enough—and how political structure determines whether freedom survives

• The fundamental differences between natural rights and state-granted rights

• Why communist systems consistently centralize power into a one-party state

• The role of ideology in shaping education, culture, and historical memory

• Why communism often appears compelling “in theory”

• The roots of totalitarianism, from Marx to Lenin to modern regimes

• How China’s economic rise fits within a communist framework

• The tension between security and liberty in America’s own response to communism

• Why younger generations often misunderstand or overlook the history of the Cold War

• The deeper question: what vision of the human person underlies each system

At the University of Toledo, the Institute of American Constitutional Thought & Leadership fosters the intellectual and civic conditions essential for a flourishing republic, forming students and citizens in the principles of liberty through lectures, civil dialogue, and academic programs that equip leaders and engage the broader community in the work of self-government.

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