Essays

essays

The White Revolutionaries

Henry Kissinger saw Otto von Bismarck’s traits in twentieth-century figures such as Konrad Adenauer and Charles De Gaulle — each their own form of ‘white revolutionary'.

Angus Reilly March 9, 2023

essays

Is farming the root of civilisation?

Humans discovered agriculture far earlier than previously thought; so why did they give up on it?

Graeme Barker March 6, 2023

essays

The vitality of Western civilisation

Throughout history, humans have expressed pessimism about the present and future prospects of society. Today is no different, but reframing our thinking may help us come to terms w..

Andrew Ehrhardt March 1, 2023

essays

On civility

Navigating politico-religious disagreements in a spirit of civility is nigh-on impossible in eras in which the meaning of civility itself is contested. How do we speak to each othe..

Erica Benner February 28, 2023

essays

Welcome to the fifth age of the city

Changing technology, climate change, and transformations in global finance mean another new era for cities is dawning: the fifth, or digital, age.

Yolande Barnes February 24, 2023

essays

The Suez Canal Purchase and the making of modern Britain

The purchase of the Suez Canal by British prime minister Benjamin Disraeli was presented in contemporary press reports as a uniquely patriotic and liberal move, one that cemented t..

Matthew Hefler February 21, 2023

essays

The future of war is here

Military institutions – and the broader national security community – in the twenty-first century will need the discipline to explore new ideas, discard old concepts and institutio..

Mick Ryan February 16, 2023

essays

The price of freedom

The arc of history only bends towards justice when people of goodwill grab hold of it and wrench it in the direction of justice.

Kori Schake February 14, 2023

essays

Bengal Opium: a study in continuity

The drug has long been regarded in India as a blessing rather than a curse, so it’s perhaps unsurprising that Indian government production of this ‘gift to the world’ continues tod..

Nic Allen February 10, 2023