In 'Disorder: Hard Times in the 21st Century', Helen Thompson provides a comprehensive explanation for the recent disruptions in global politics. She argues that the standard explanations for the rise of populist nationalism and authoritarianism are too simplistic and instead examines the large-scale societal shifts, particularly in how the world produces and consumes energy. The book delves into the geopolitical instability caused by the global energy rivalry between the United States, Russia, and China, and how changes in international monetary policy have remade the world economy along fragile fault lines. Thompson concludes that these factors have precipitated the crisis of democracy in Western nations, highlighting how Western governments have become more focused on the consent of plutocrats than their own citizens.
(Conversation recorded on November 11th, 2024, prior to a ceasefire declared between Israel and Lebanon on November 27th, 2024)
If you’ve followed TGS for some time, you’ve heard Nate speak about The 5 Horsemen – the biggest risks for humans and civilization in the coming decade. Today’s episode delves into one of the most rapidly escalating: geopolitics.
Today, Nate is joined by Political Economy Professor Helen Thompson to explore the evolving understanding of energy's role in international relations, particularly in the context of recent conflicts in the Middle East. They discuss the challenge of anticipating the volatile changes in energy supplies, the complexities of navigating information in a rapidly changing geopolitical landscape, and the role of global powers like BRICS and OPEC.
How will resource conflicts continue to shape the long-standing tensions in the Middle East? What would a transition from a unipolar world to a multipolar world mean for the global geopolitical landscape and its energy implications? Given how connected these issues are to the delicate balance of our world, how can we increase awareness and preparation for future crises?
About Helen Thompson:
Helen Thompson has been Professor of Political Economy at Cambridge since 1994. Her current research concentrates on the political economy of energy and the long history of the democratic, economic, and geopolitical disruptions of the twenty-first century. She is a regular panelist on Talking Politics and a columnist for the New Statesman. She is a co-presenter of UnHerd's podcast, These Times, and recently published Disorder: Hard Times in the 21st Century.
Show Notes and More
Watch this video episode on YouTube
---
Support The Institute for the Study of Energy and Our Future
Join our Substack newsletter
Join our Discord channel and connect with other listeners
The Great Simplification with Nate Hagens 