Essays

essays

China’s takeover of Western capitalism

From obscure stakes in biotech companies to intellectual property theft, the Chinese state is engaged in corporate subterfuge. But what can the West do about it?

Elisabeth Braw June 11, 2021

essays

Rousseau and the barbarity of education

Rousseau's concept of the 'noble savage' presented an enduring challenge to the Enlightenment moral order.

Jonathan Israel June 11, 2021

essays

The twilight of the Arab state

The traditional Arab State is under increasing pressure from internal and external forces. Will those in power recognise the need for reform before it is too late?

John Raine June 5, 2021

essays

To avoid a dictatorship of scholars

Questions of accountability were at the heart of the European integration project, even before the devastating impetus of the Second World War.

Patricia Clavin June 4, 2021

essays

Future proof

Deference to history will not be enough to answer the geopolitical questions of the future. New systemic forces are in play.

Francis J. Gavin May 28, 2021

essays

What the Silicon Valley idealists got wrong

The internet and social media were supposed to democratise knowledge and unite the world. Things didn't quite turn out that way.

Nicholas Carr May 25, 2021

essays

What should we do when the terrorists go quiet?

Western governments must wake up to the uncomfortable reality that when terrorists go quiet, they might be planning something big.

Suzanne Raine May 20, 2021

essays

The crusader of good will

While no longer a state power, the Catholic Church remains a powerful political force in modern diplomacy.

Janne Haaland Matláry May 18, 2021

essays

Equality – what is it good for?

Modern society is history's most equal. But progress has not been linear – or easy to calculate.

Ian Mortimer May 12, 2021