In the age of “reactionary populism”, larger-than-life characters trump competence. Can liberal democracies survive the age of the performative strongman? Political economist and author of This is Not Normal: The Collapse of Liberal Britain William Davies tells Dorian Lynskey about Trump, truth, and television politics – and why the death of neoliberalism might be a win for democracy.

• “Competence implies something governmental and administrative. That’s not Trump.”
• “The character of Boris has been cultivated over time. He’s a promises, not policy, politician.”
• “Neoliberalism colonises the political sphere with economics, and makes it a sham. That’s damaging for popular participation.”

Presented by Dorian Lynskey. Produced by Andrew Harrison. Assistant producers Jelena Sofronijevic and Jacob Archbold. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production by Alex Rees. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production

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