Across the West, the long-established liberal order appears to be struggling to adapt to the economic and social challenges of the 21st century. As a result, traditional politics is being rejected by voters at the ballot box, increasingly usurped by narratives once considered too radical for the mainstream.
In Europe, right wing populists and the far-right are in the ascendancy in countries such as France, the Netherlands, Germany and Italy. Across the Atlantic, Donald Trump has returned to the White House for a second term.
The roots of political liberalism can be traced back to the 18th century, with much of the modern liberal world order emerging out of the end of World War II. But as similar patterns emerge across numerous democracies, could we be witnessing the end of liberalism?
Presenter: Ben Ansell
Producer: Ben Cooper
Editor: Clare Fordham
Contributors:
Jon Cruddas, author and former Labour MP for Dagenham and Rainham
Edmund Fawcett, political journalist and author
Sarah de Lange, Professor of Political Pluralism at the Department of Political Science at the University of Amsterdam
Catherine de Vries, Professor of Political Science at Bocconi University
Michael Gove, Editor of The Spectator and former Conservative MP for Surrey Heath
