Why do some civilisations enlighten while others languish? Why do some conquer, and others collapse? Was the British Empire a bloody stain... or, on balance, a force for modernity?

Niall is one of Britain's most prolific and influential historians. His seventeen books, including the groundbreaking tomes Civilisation and Empire, define the modern historical canon.

Niall has become associated with heterodox concerns about wokeness and Western decline. But Josh wanted to probe deeper: How should we think about Ukraine, Gaza, populism and the West, in light of what we know about what makes human societies thrive?

Josh and Niall sat down in Westminster, London, on the afternoon of the 2024 American presidential election -- before the result was known.

This episode is available in full on the Uncomfortable Conversations YouTube channel as well as for premium subscribers at https://uncomfortableconversations.substack.com/subscribe

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NIALL FERGUSON: How Civilisations Flourish (or Fail)