Mark Leonard's World in 30 Minutes The new politics with Rod Dreher
8 snips
Aug 15, 2025 
Rod Dreher, an influential writer and journalist based in Budapest, joins to discuss the evolving political landscape marked by a backlash against liberalism. He delves into the rise of right-wing movements and the economic discontent trickling through working-class communities. Dreher also examines the tensions between free speech and social control, drawing uncanny parallels with totalitarian regimes. With insights from his experiences and recent literature, he raises critical questions about the fate of liberal democratic values in this shifting world.
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Migration And Liquid Modernity Drive Backlash
- Mass migration and cultural alienation are central drivers of the rightward shift in Europe and the U.S..
- Liquid modernity and institutional instability accelerate political polarization and anxiety.
Watching Trump With His Dying Father
- Rod Dreher recounts watching an early Trump rally at his father's hospice bedside and misjudging its appeal.
- He realised Trump spoke to a different lived reality than his New York media world.
Elite Disconnect Fueled Populism
- Neoliberal capitalism and expanded media ecosystems disconnected elites from working-class realities.
- That disconnection helps explain the rise of populist figures who channel working-class grievance.
