Hidden Forces Failed State: Inside Britain’s Governance Crisis | Sam Freedman
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Aug 7, 2025 
Sam Freedman, a former senior policy advisor in the UK's Department for Education and author of 'Failed State', discusses the deep-rooted dysfunction in British governance. He explores the dangers of centralization, the dominance of executive power, and how modern media dynamics are shaping politics. Freedman emphasizes the need for radical reforms, including decentralization and enhancing parliamentary scrutiny, to restore trust. He draws parallels with the U.S. governance crisis, highlighting common challenges in Western democracies.
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Roots of Britain's Governance Crisis
- Britain's governance crisis roots in decades of centralization, executive power growth, and media sensationalism.
- These factors together overwhelm government capacity and weaken scrutiny, making policymaking ineffective.
Nature of Political Crises
- Political crises are often ignored until unavoidable and then force urgent action.
- Currently, Britain faces a governance crisis rather than economic or democratic issues.
Governance Is Hidden Crisis
- Governance crises are less visible to average voters compared to economic crises.
- Everyday frustrations disconnect public perception from deeper governance failures.
