The Gist Ben Ansell on FAFO, FADFO, and the Myth of Immediate Consequence
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May 30, 2025 
Ben Ansell, a political scientist at Nuffield College, delves into the intriguing concepts of FAFO and its counterpart FADFO, dissecting how reckless policies often go unpunished—think Brexit and defunding police. He argues that liberal democracies create buffers that delay consequences, which populists exploit. The discussion also critiques the value of Western education for global leadership and questions the cultural impact of admitting international students from China into American universities.
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Meaning of FAFO Phrase
- The phrase "fuck around and find out" embodies the expectation of consequences from reckless actions.
- It has a British flavor and conveys a popular motif of deserved comeuppance with a mix of humor and severity.
Brexit's Economic Impact
- Brexit achieved the exit goal but failed to deliver on economic growth promises.
- Britain's economic growth over the last decade has been the worst since the Napoleonic Wars.
FADFO Phenomenon Explained
- Often, radical political decisions don't lead to immediate negative consequences.
- Donald Trump's 2016 election shows that reckless promises may not have instant blowback due to constraints and systemic buffers.
