S8 E1 • POLITICAL THEORY - John Maynard Keynes

John Maynard Keynes was arguably the greatest economist of the 20th century. He discovered the idea that governments should stimulate demand during economic downturns – and was the creator of both the IMF and the World Bank. His ideas continue to underpin a lot of the modern economic system.

Première diffusion : 23 juin 2017

S8 E2 • Machiavelli’s Advice For Nice Guys

Nice guys too often finish last; they need to read the advice of one of the wisest and most realistic thinkers in the history of philosophy: Niccolo Machiavelli.

Première diffusion : 10 février 2017

S8 E3 • Thoreau and Civil Disobedience

Henry David Thoreau not only wrote Walden; he is also responsible for a small pamphlet titled Civil Disobedience, which recommends that – when a US president is taking a wrong turn – good citizens have a duty to protest.

Première diffusion : 27 janvier 2017

S8 E4 • POLITICAL THEORY – Friedrich Hayek

The leading theorist of modern right-wing political movements was an Austrian economist called Friedrich Hayek.

Première diffusion : 8 juillet 2016

S8 E5 • POLITICAL THEORY - John Locke

John Locke's greatness as a philosopher is based on his theories on childhood, his work on religious toleration and his concept of the rights of citizens. He helped to make us who we are.

Première diffusion : 8 avril 2016

S8 E6 • POLITICAL THEORY – Jean-Jacques Rousseau

The 18th century Jean-Jacques Rousseau made the bold claim that modernity and civilisation are not improvements; they’ve dragged us from a primitive state of innocence and happiness.

Première diffusion : 14 août 2015

S8 E7 • POLITICAL THEORY - Thomas Hobbes

Thomas Hobbes believed that it is always better to have security rather than liberty in a country. He was therefore deeply opposed to the English Civil War – and would have predicted the chaos of the Arab Spring.

Première diffusion : 31 juillet 2015

S8 E8 • POLITICAL THEORY - Niccolò Machiavelli

Machiavelli's name is a byword for immorality and political scheming. But that's deeply unfair. This was simply a political theorist interested in the survival and flourishing of the state.

Première diffusion : 19 juin 2015

S8 E9 • POLITICAL THEORY - William Morris

William Morris wanted to change the way workers approach their jobs and how consumers decide what they want to buy.

Première diffusion : 1 mai 2015

S8 E10 • POLITICAL THEORY - John Ruskin

John Ruskin was an art critic who believed the immorality of 19th century capitalism could be highlighted by one thing above all others: the ugliness of the environment.

Première diffusion : 24 avril 2015

S8 E11 • POLITICAL THEORY - Henry David Thoreau

We are taught to think of modern civilization as inherently 'better' than the pre-industrial age. That's why we need to tap into the caustic, liberating mindset of the great American political thinker, Thoreau.

Première diffusion : 10 avril 2015

S8 E12 • POLITICAL THEORY - John Rawls

How do you get a society that provides basic decent services to all citizens? Political theorist John Rawls had a good idea, and it was called 'the veil of ignorance.

Première diffusion : 9 janvier 2015

S8 E13 • POLITICAL THEORY - Adam Smith

Adam Smith was no uncritical apologist for capitalism: he wanted to understand how capitalism could be both fruitful and good.

Première diffusion : 26 décembre 2014

S8 E14 • POLITICAL THEORY - Karl Marx

Karl Marx remains deeply important today not as the man who told us what to replace capitalism with, but as someone who brilliantly pointed out certain of its problems. The School of Life, a pro-Capitalist institution, takes a look.

Première diffusion : 19 décembre 2014

S8 E15 • Épisode 15