New Enlightenment How a French Leftist Diagnosed Today’s Threat to Liberty: Diagnosing the New Authoritarianism Through Foucault
Can classical liberals learn something from Michel Foucault?
It’s a question most proponents of free-market capitalism would never ask - but in this episode, Mark Pennington argues the answer is yes.
Joined by Adam Dixon, Pennington dismantles the academic silos around Foucault and repositions the postmodern critic of power as a surprising ally in understanding the erosion of liberal society.
They explore how Foucault’s work - usually mobilised to critique so-called neoliberalism - actually reveals how surveillance, managerialism, and technocratic control threaten the foundations of individual freedom. From public health mandates to ESG-driven policy, the conversation critiques the creeping illiberalism hiding behind progressive institutions and expert-led governance.
Pennington doesn't rehabilitate Foucault so much as weaponise him - arguing that if classical liberals want to understand how power works today, they need to take Foucault seriously, not dismiss him as a postmodern relic.
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