This chapter examines the historical interplay between economic conditions and social movements across the Great Awakenings, including a detailed analysis of the 1960s protests against the Vietnam War. It also explores how the rise of 'wokeness' fits into contemporary political strategies, particularly within the Republican Party, highlighting the correlation between elite overproduction and cultural revolts.
Over the past decade a form of wokeness arose on the illiberal left, characterised by extreme pessimism about America and its capacity to make progress. Analysis by The Economist of how influential these ideas are today finds that wokeness peaked in 2021-22 and has since receded. Why is America becoming less “woke”?
John Prideaux hosts with Charlotte Howard and Idrees Kahloon. They’re joined by The Economist’s Ainslie Johnstone and Sacha Nauta, and Professor Musa al-Gharbi of Stony Brook University.
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