How Much Does Democracy Cost? The Shocking Economics of Political Protests Revealed - Adam Swart

Episode 601 Adam Swart, founder and CEO of Crowds On Demand, offers an unfiltered look inside the business of manufactured movements, paid protests, and the ethics behind shaping public perception. Swart addresses accusations and controversies around hiring actors to “stack the room,” defends the essential role of compensated advocacy, and denounces cancel culture’s impact on free speech. In direct exchanges, he comments on misperceptions, political hypocrisy, how both left and right fund public demonstrations, and why moneyed interests dominate American advocacy while genuine causes struggle for attention. Swart explains his business’s evolution from using out-of-work actors to organizing genuine supporters, lays out his stance on controversial figures and dark money, and shares provocative insights on social dynamics, polarization, and why disconnected Americans need healthier communities and maybe just “get laid”.