Daniel Hannan: Woke Politics, Reform & The Culture of Liberty
“The desire for conformity & order is stronger in most people than the desire for freedom.
But what you can do in an open society is teach people that freedom, although it may not come naturally to most people, produces better outcomes: It makes people richer, it makes people happier and constraining your natural tendency to tell people what to do is part of a trade-off that it worth making.”
Photo: Gage Skidmore
On this week’s podcast, I met with Daniel Hannan at The Leadership Program of the Rockies annual retreat.
Daniel is a British writer, journalist and politician. If you’re a Brit, you may recognise him as one of the founders of ‘Vote Leave’ – one of the organisations that successfully campaigned during the UK’s Brexit referendum. Others of you will know him from his bestselling books and if you frequent popular social media channels then you may well have come across a clip of one of his scathing speeches in the European Parliament.
In this episode, Daniel reflects on the historical context of individualism and the evolution of political thought, particularly in light of recent global events such as the pandemic. The conversation dives deep into the challenges of preserving freedom in a society that often prioritises safety over liberty.
We discuss the psychological impacts of collectivism experienced during lockdowns, and the lasting effects on public consciousness as well as the complexities of political affiliations and the necessity for reform within the UK.
The episode culminates in an exploration of the future of governance and the enduring struggle for personal freedoms in the face of increasing state control
Enjoy the conversation.