TEDStories : The professor’s rebellion
With Larry Lessig (USA) – ARTE – 2015
26 & 52 minutes versions. Available in French, English, German
Who rules? How can the general interest win when, everywhere, democracy loses?
Meet Larry Lessig, professor of law at Harvard. A constitution expert, a Silicon Valley entrepreneur, an Obama advisor, he could have become a Supreme Court judge. Until he rebelled. Until he decided to use all he has and knows to save the American democracy from the corrupting influence of money.
Today 96% of members of Congress are elected not for the ideas they defend but because of the funds they raise. Once in power, they tend to draft or pass laws that accommodate their donors. The outcomes: We all have the right to vote, but our votes do not all have the same weight. Fundamental reforms, on climate, finance or gun control, are blocked. For Larry Lessig, this corruption is the root cause to our problems. A root embedded in the institutions, in the law on campaign finance. A law he is determined to rewrite.
This documentary, is the follow up of a story I wrote on the NH Rebellion – READ
Directed by : Flore Vasseur & Laurent Besançon – Images : Cyrille Renaux & Emmanuel Royer – Sound : Pascal Fuchs – Production manager : Sofia Saa – Produced by ARTE & TrendSpotting
