It used to be considered rude to discuss politics. With that in mind, any situation involving both people and power is by its very nature political. As such, the best way to handle political situations is with informed opinions. Documentaries are a great way to learn about complex topics in a short time.
Right now, Netflix offers some fantastic political documentaries. These cover a wide variety of topics and perspectives. Some strive for neutrality, while others clearly are advocating an agenda. Even for those who claim not to enjoy politics, these will make for a great streaming experience. Here are the ten best political documentaries currently available on Netflix:
13th
This is one of the best documentaries to explore contemporary slavery in the United States. It’s commonly known that the Americas were founded by European colonists committing genocide and slavery to build their new homeland. The system of legalized slavery in the US is often thought to be relegated to the past after the passing of the 13th Amendment to the United States Constitution.
This documentary shows that slavery is still legal because of the wording of that very same amendment. It examines how mass incarceration in the United States–the worst of any country on Earth–is in fact linked to profiting from the targeted imprisonment and slave labor of African-Americans.
Get Me Roger Stone
Roger Stone is a political consultant and strategist with the Republican Party. By his own admission, he was the youngest man to be caught up in the Watergate scandal. More recently, he has been an ardent support of Donald Trump, though his involvement with the current Republican President has directly led to him being found guilty of seven separate felonies.
Get Me Roger Stone follows Stone’s career from his school days to the present. He and others give interviews about his highest and lowest moments, his strategic thinking, and his unconventional (and often predatory) approach to the showmanship of politics as a business opportunity. Whether one loves or hates him, everybody should watch this.
The White Helmets
The Syrian Civil Defense are also known as the White Helmets because of the protective headpiece they wear while operating in a war zone. This documentary follows several volunteers working to help their fellow Syrians in the tumult and tragedy of war.
The camera follows these heroes as they trudge through ruined buildings and clouds of broken rubble, pulling injured children from the debris as bombs continue to rain down around them, sometimes blowing up the very ruined buildings whose wreckage they stand in. The bravery and selfless caring of the White Helmets is truly awe-inspiring.
Gender Revolution
Traditionally, gender was taught as existing as a binary. However, the more it is studied, the more people realize that gender exists on a spectrum. It’s not a hard concept to grasp, but it is a fact that runs counter to what many people learn growing up, putting the lived experiences of some people’s realities in conflict with others who deny their fully realized humanity.
Gender Revolution is not as dark as other entries on this list, but it is filled with emotional moments as non-binary and trans- people discuss their experiences and explain who they are.
Reversing Roe
It is hard to think of a more controversial topic than abortion. If religion and politics are the two topics people both argue about intensely, they intersect around this topic in a way that has a very real cost in terms of human life (though how those lives are counted and defined is also argued about).
This documentary does an excellent job of showing the raw emotions of people on both sides of the debate, while also looking at the laws and the medical realities of what is at stake in this discussion.
Joshua: Teenager vs Superpower
Right now, Chinese police are in conflict with the citizens of Hong Kong on behalf of officials in Beijing. Many young protestors do not believe they will survive the conflict. That is what makes Joshua: Teenager vs Superpower such a timely documentary.
The film takes time to explain the unique history of Hong Kong as culturally different from the rest of China and shows how Chinese legislation has impacted the lives of Hong Kong’s citizens without consideration for their wants and needs. The main focus of the film is is Joshua Wong, a teenage boy leading a populist youth movement seeking reforms. It’s hard not to root for a kid leading a struggle for his people against one of the world’s largest superpowers.
Cowspiracy
“Meat is murder. Tasty, tasty murder.” At least, that’s according to a slogan that has been floating around on T-shirts and bumper stickers for decades now. Cowspiracy looks beyond the usual rhetoric about cruelty to animals and examines the environmental issues attached to factory farming cattle to meet global demands for beef.
This film has also been accused by some of misrepresenting scientific findings to argue that the meat industry–rather than carbon-based fuel emissions from major oil companies–is the main threat to climate change. While some skepticism might be healthy on the extent of what’s said, this is still a powerful film.
After Porn Ends
While every documentary on this list is political, this one may not seem overtly political at first. Of course, any situation with both people and power is political. The porn industry is certainly one where power is a hot button issue, and while some argue that it is exploitative, others fight for the right for sex work to be seen as a job and industry like any other.
After Porn Ends follows porn stars who have retired from the industry, showing their regrets, their families, their faith, and the careers that come after. This documentary is not only controversial for the subject matter, but because many happy sex workers believe it intentionally shows an inaccurate perspective that perpetuates the stigma against people working in porn.
Winter on Fire: Ukraine’s Fight For Freedom
In 2013, Russian corruption and meddling in the affairs of Ukraine led to the country’s President, Viktor Yanukovych, pulling out of an agreement to build closer ties with the European Union. Instead, Yanukovych allied with Russia. The corruption and human rights violations that this action revealed were met with a backlash from the Ukrainian people known as Euromaiden.
Winter on Fire documents the struggles of the Ukrainian people during the winter of 2013 through 2014 as they fought for their lives, their freedom, and their future. It is one of the most intense documentaries on this list and addresses issues key to understanding the current stage of international diplomatic struggles.
Knock Down The House
While the United States likes to claim it is a democracy, it has always been a republic with power concentrated in the hands of a few powerful individuals who are elected to serve their constituents. Unfortunately, many of those politicians actively work against the wishes of the people.
Knock Down The House is an inspiring story of a handful of brave women who ran for office against some of the worst entrenched establishment politicians. This film gives a human face to politics and shows just why and how these women entered into the race to get elected in the House of Representatives.
