Then & Now

Subscribers 543K

Videos 216

Views 40.0M

Channels Like Then & Now

Then & Now creates video essays about History, Politics and Philosophy, delivering deep-dives and analytical explorations through long-form videos. The channel covers topics like authoritarianism, populism, and governance, with recent titles suggesting a mix of theoretical analysis and critique; uploads average around 0.2 per week with an average of about 88.8K views per video.

Similar Channels

We found 44 YouTube channels similar to Then & Now

#1

CrashCourse view on YouTube ▶

83% relevance

Subscribers 16.9M

Videos 1.6K

Views 2.2B

Appearances 24

SERP 100%

Similarity 72%

history of authoritarianism ideology and governance bureaucracy and statecraft

Both target broad audiences with historical and political topics, matching searches like history of authoritarianism and state governance; however, CrashCourse’s content style is more tutorial and fast-paced (83% overall match with 72% content) than Then & Now.

#2

TED-Ed view on YouTube ▶

65% relevance

Subscribers 22.4M

Videos 2.3K

Views 4.5B

Appearances 10

SERP 65%

Similarity 66%

history of authoritarianism rise of populism state power mechanisms

They share interest in history of authoritarianism and rise of populism (65% match with 65% search and 66% content), but TED-Ed’s approach is more concise animated explainers whereas Then & Now emphasizes narrative depth.

#3

Korczyk's Class

64% relevance

Subscribers 35K

Videos 77

Views 2.9M

Appearances 10

SERP 52%

Similarity 72%

global politics analysis political legitimacy theories nationalism and identity

Both discuss global politics, legitimacy theories, and nationalism (64% match with 52% search focus and 72% content), yet Korczyk's Class centers more on political theory pedagogy and classroom-style analysis.

The School of Life YouTube channel thumbnail

#4

The School of Life view on YouTube ▶

62% relevance

Subscribers 9.6M

Videos 1.1K

Views 980.9M

Appearances 16

SERP 54%

Similarity 67%

political philosophy bureaucracy and statecraft political theory critique

Overlap in political philosophy and statecraft topics (62% match with 54% search and 67% content), but The School of Life leans toward philosophical critique and lifestyle-oriented insights rather than historical case studies.

The Paint Explainer YouTube channel thumbnail

#5

The Paint Explainer view on YouTube ▶

58% relevance

Subscribers 1.8M

Videos 141

Views 260.9M

Appearances 5

SERP 33%

Similarity 74%

political philosophy ideology and governance power and ideology

Shares focus on political philosophy and ideology in governance with a strong content angle (58% match; 33% search vs 74% content), yet uses a more visual, art-focused presentation style than Then & Now.

#6

Big Think view on YouTube ▶

55% relevance

Subscribers 8.6M

Videos 9.9K

Views 1.0B

Appearances 5

SERP 29%

Similarity 73%

political philosophy authoritarian resilience colonial legacy implications

Similar emphasis on political philosophy and authoritarian resilience (55% match; low 29% search yet high 73% content), indicating audience overlap but a more interview-driven, idea-centric format than Then & Now.

Content Landscape

Top competitors: CrashCourse (83% match) with 16.9M subscribers and TED-Ed (65% match) with 22.4M subscribers. Both share overlapping queries such as history of authoritarianism, ideology and governance, and state power mechanisms, aligning closely with Then & Now’s focus. The School of Life (62% match, 9.6M subscribers) also competes on political philosophy and statecraft. Then & Now sits behind these larger channels in subscriber count, while Korczyk's Class (64% match, 35K subscribers) represents a smaller, more niche competitor focusing on global politics analysis and nationalism. Shared queries include history of authoritarianism, rise of populism, and political philosophy, indicating a competitive space around historical and political analysis.

Video Highlights

Didn't Make the Cut

38 additional channels that were close

Rank	Relevance	Channel	Similarity	Subscribers	SERP	Appearances
#7	55%	Academy of Ideas	79%	2.0M	18%	5
#8	54%	Vox ▶	71%	12.7M	29%	7
#9	54%	Hoover Institution ▶	76%	1.1M	21%	6
#10	53%	Kraut ▶	76%	604K	19%	3
#11	53%	TEDx Talks ▶	67%	44.2M	32%	13
#12	53%	Ryan Chapman ▶	74%	538K	21%	6
#13	52%	Red Pen	78%	43.2K	13%	4
#14	52%	Sociologylearners	72%	11.7K	21%	4
#15	51%	YaleCourses ▶	70%	1.7M	23%	5
#16	51%	Heimler's History	67%	1.2M	27%	6
#17	51%	Fredda	75%	138K	15%	1
#18	51%	True Sage	77%	37.6K	12%	1
#19	51%	Robert Reich ▶	76%	1.5M	12%	3
#20	51%	Pursuit of Wonder ▶	75%	3.4M	14%	2
#21	50%	Money & Macro	74%	647K	15%	1
#22	50%	Centre for Geopolitics	73%	10.4K	15%	2
#23	50%	Wendigoon ▶	73%	4.6M	15%	3
#24	50%	ENDEVR	73%	1.4M	15%	2
#25	49%	The Institute of World Politics	72%	26.3K	14%	2
#26	49%	Al Jazeera English	59%	17.5M	33%	5
#27	49%	TED ▶	70%	27.2M	17%	6
#28	48%	Belfer Center	72%	36.8K	12%	1
#29	48%	Trends Journal	72%	67.7K	12%	1
#30	48%	In the Kimdom	68%	57.3K	17%	2
#31	48%	Jaydone History ▶	71%	193K	13%	5
#32	47%	Prof. Dr. Zia Ahmed	71%	7.0K	12%	2
#33	47%	The Federalist Society ▶	70%	108K	12%	1
#34	47%	GLOBAL GENIUS	68%	43.1K	15%	1
#35	47%	Eduta	63%	1.4K	22%	6
#36	46%	Brookings Institution	68%	163K	13%	2
#37	45%	HISTORY ▶	66%	15.2M	14%	2
#38	45%	The New School	66%	196K	15%	1
#39	45%	DMRU Academy	66%	1.3K	12%	1
#40	44%	The New York Times ▶	66%	5.1M	12%	1
#41	44%	DW News ▶	63%	6.2M	16%	5
#42	44%	Redeemed Zoomer ▶	63%	678K	15%	1
#43	43%	Penn Medical Ethics & Health Policy Online	63%	1.2K	12%	1
#44	42%	FRANCE 24 English ▶	62%	3.5M	11%	2

Search Queries Used

historical philosophy political philosophy history of authoritarianism rise of populism global politics analysis 20th century history ideology and governance cultural nationalism economic oligarchy state power mechanisms bureaucracy and statecraft democracy and decline power and ideology political theory critique historical ethics philosophy of power democratic decline patterns authoritarian resilience populist rhetoric analysis state surveillance history economic inequality roots bureaucratic control mechanisms ideology critique methods political legitimacy theories constitutional erosion trends economic imperialism history colonial legacy implications nationalism and identity civic virtue and decay soft power history political realism overview revolutions and reforms statecraft in history philosophy of governance

Frequently Asked Questions

Which YouTube channels are most similar to Then & Now?

Then & Now's biggest competitors on YouTube are CrashCourse (83% match, 16.9M subscribers), TED-Ed (65% match, 22.4M subscribers), and Korczyk's Class (64% match, 35K subscribers). They share a focus on educational or thought-provoking content that explores topics in-depth and appeals to curious or academically inclined audiences.

What type of content does Then & Now make?

Then & Now creates educational or analytical video content, as suggested by titles like The Fascist Ideal: What if Fascists Won? and The Rise of the Authoritarian-Curious, indicating a focus on history, politics, and social phenomena. The channel uploads about 0.2 times per week, with an average of 88.8K views per video.

How do we determine which channels are similar to Then & Now?

We analyze Then & Now's recent videos, generate topic-relevant search queries, check YouTube search results, and compare the meaning of each channel's content to measure similarity. The result is a ranked list sorted by SERP overlap, semantic similarity, and search appearances.

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