Essays

Long-form writing from leading scholars and commentators on history, statecraft, warfare, philosophy and culture.

Caspar David Friedrich's 'Wanderer above the Sea of Fog'.

Why powerful individuals are dominating politics

From Xi Jinping in China to Narendra Modi in India and Donald Trump in the US, powerful leaders are reshaping the rules of the global great game.

Nicholas Wright March 12, 2026

One of the last photographs of Adolf Hitler before his death.

essays

Hitler’s last days: the first draft of history

The bitter end of Hitler’s life was reconstructed almost immediately by the historian Hugh Trevor-Roper. It remains a classic account.

Antony Beevor March 11, 2026

essays

Trump and Xi gamble on Latin America

The United States and China are locked in an intensifying battle for Latin America. Yet both superpowers may be disappointed with the results.

Marc Levinson March 5, 2026

Robert Peel presents the repeal of the Corn Laws to the Commons.

essays

The history of conservatism is a history of crisis

In every era, conservatives face a choice: what to preserve, what to change, and who decides.

Gwion Wyn Jones March 4, 2026

The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket streaks across the night sky.

essays

Space and AI – the final frontier

The convergence of AI, robotics, quantum systems and synthetic biology is transforming space exploration, raising profound civilisational questions about the nature of humanity.

Nayef Al-Rodhan March 4, 2026

William McKinley's victory in the 1896 election boosts the case for protective tariffs .

essays

A deep history of America’s tariff wars

The challenge to Trump’s tariff strategy is part of a much longer story. Controversy over trade policy has shaped American politics since the US Constitution was ratified in 1788.

Samuel Gregg March 2, 2026

Pieter Brueghel's 'The Land of Cockaigne'.

essays

The power of sloth

Recovering the lost meaning of sloth challenges modern assumptions about the good life.

Elise Morrison February 26, 2026

Ukrposhta special edition postage stamp released in 2024, showing Ukrainian military vehicles and drones.

essays

Ukraine’s new world of warfare

On the battlefields of Ukraine, technological change has transformed modern warfare beyond recognition. European NATO powers remain woefully unprepared for this existential challen..

Peter Caddick-Adams February 25, 2026

essays

Kafka goes to China

The journey of Franz Kafka’s works from Europe to Mao-era China shaped generations of writers.

Jeffrey Wasserstrom February 20, 2026