Edward Luce, US national editor and columnist at the Financial Times, shares insights from his distinguished career. He discusses the allure of British boarding schools and their cultural impact, as well as the evolution of education as a tool of soft power. Luce critiques the U.S. response to global dynamics, touching on energy independence amid the Ukraine conflict and the U.S.-China relationship. He highlights the dangers of growing isolationism and the need for America to reevaluate its role on the world stage.
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Berlin Wall Fall Experience
Edward Luce recounts driving to Berlin immediately after the fall of the Berlin Wall with friends.
They joined others in physically tearing down the Wall in a historic moment of celebration and freedom.
insights INSIGHT
Brzezinski's Warning on Post-Cold War Hubris
Brzezinski warned in 1993 that the post-Cold War triumphalism blinded America to emerging international threats.
He predicted an "alliance of the aggrieved" led by China and Russia opposing US dominance.
insights INSIGHT
Education-Skills Gap and Middle-Class Squeeze
The Western elite confused education with skills, ignoring the plights of skilled workers without college degrees.
Global economic convergence pressures the middle class, causing political polarization and democratic distress.
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The Life of Zbigniew Brzezinski, America's Great Power Prophet
Edward Luce
Edward Luce's biography chronicles Brzezinski's journey from Cold War strategist to presidential advisor, detailing his role in shaping U.S. foreign policy across multiple administrations. The book explores Brzezinski's intellectual contributions, including his influence on the Soviet Union's collapse and his geopolitical vision for America's global leadership. Through archival research and interviews, Luce positions Brzezinski as a transformative thinker whose ideas continue to resonate in contemporary international relations.
The end of history
Francis Fukuyama
In 'The End of History and the Last Man', Francis Fukuyama posits that with the ascendancy of Western liberal democracy following the Cold War and the dissolution of the Soviet Union, humanity has reached the end point of its ideological evolution. Fukuyama draws on the philosophies of Hegel and Marx, arguing that history is a linear progression towards liberal democracy, driven by the mechanisms of natural science and the human desire for recognition (thymos). He contends that liberal democracy satisfies every man’s thymotic longing for dignity and recognition, making it the final form of human government. However, Fukuyama clarifies that this does not mean the end of historical events or conflicts, but rather that all future developments will be within the framework of liberal democracy[2][3][4].
Out of Control
Charlotte Lamb
Kevin Kelly's "Out of Control" explores the emerging field of artificial life and its implications for the future. Published in 1994, the book delves into complex systems, artificial intelligence, and the interconnectedness of life. Kelly uses the metaphor of the Library of Babel to illustrate the vastness and complexity of information systems. The book's central theme is the unpredictable nature of complex systems and the potential for emergent behavior. "Out of Control" is a seminal work in the field of technology and its impact on society, offering a blend of scientific insight and philosophical reflection.
Ed is the US national editor and columnist at the Financial Times. Before that, he was the FT’s Washington Bureau chief, the South Asia bureau chief, Capital Markets editor, and Philippines correspondent. During the Clinton administration, he was the speechwriter for Larry Summers. The author of many books, his latest is Zbig: The Life and Times of Brzezinski, America’s Great Power Prophet.
For two clips of our convo — on how China played Trump on rare minerals, and Europe’s bind over Russian energy — head to our YouTube page.
Other topics: growing up in West Sussex near my hometown; the international appeal of English boarding schools; the gerontocracy of the USSR; Ed making a beeline to the Berlin Wall as it fell; Fukuyama’s The End of History; Brzezinski’s The Grand Failure — of Communism; enthusiasm for free markets after the Cold War; George Kennan warning against Ukraine independence; HW Bush and the Persian Gulf; climate change and migration; a population boom in Africa; W Bush tolerating autocracy in the war on terrorism; Trump tearing up his own NAFTA deal; the resurgence of US isolationism; the collapsing security umbrella in Europe leading to more self-reliance; Germany’s flagging economy; the China threat; Taiwan’s chips; TACO on tariffs; the clean energy cuts in OBBBA; the abundance agenda; national debt and Bowles-Simpson; the overrated Tony Blair; Liz Truss’ “epic Dunning-Kruger”; Boris killing the Tory Party; the surprising success of Mark Carney; Biden’s mediocrity; Bernie’s appeal; and the Rest catching up with the West.
Browse the Dishcast archive for an episode you might enjoy (the first 102 are free in their entirety — subscribe to get everything else). Coming up: Tara Zahra on the revolt against globalization after WWI, Scott Anderson on the Iranian Revolution, Shannon Minter debating trans issues, Thomas Mallon on the AIDS crisis, and Johann Hari turning the tables to interview me. Please send any guest recs, dissents, and other comments to dish@andrewsullivan.com.
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