
David Lay Williams
Political theorist and author of "The Greatest of All Plagues: How Economic Inequality Shaped Political Thought from Plato to Marx."
Top 3 podcasts with David Lay Williams
Ranked by the Snipd community

Sep 3, 2024 • 1h 10min
David Lay Williams, "The Greatest of All Plagues: How Economic Inequality Shaped Political Thought from Plato to Marx" (Princeton UP, 2024)
David Lay Williams is a political theorist focused on economic inequality and its historical significance in political thought. In this engaging discussion, he explores how thinkers from Plato to Marx addressed the dangers of wealth concentration and its impact on social stability. Williams emphasizes the moral implications of economic disparities, connecting philosophical insights to contemporary issues. He also reinterprets Adam Smith's views on meritocracy and reveals the evolving understanding of wealth's societal effects, making a strong case for addressing inequality today.

Sep 3, 2024 • 1h 10min
David Lay Williams, "The Greatest of All Plagues: How Economic Inequality Shaped Political Thought from Plato to Marx" (Princeton UP, 2024)
David Lay Williams, a political theorist specializing in economic inequality, delves into the impacts of this issue on Western political thought in his latest work. He discusses how thinkers like Plato, Hobbes, and Marx each grappled with the concentration of wealth and its political ramifications. Williams highlights the necessity of integrating economic discussions into political discourse, urging for a cultural shift that emphasizes compassion between socioeconomic classes. The rich tradition of thought is explored, making the case for understanding economic inequality's profound effects today.

Sep 3, 2024 • 1h 10min
David Lay Williams, "The Greatest of All Plagues: How Economic Inequality Shaped Political Thought from Plato to Marx" (Princeton UP, 2024)
David Lay Williams, a political theorist and author of "The Greatest of All Plagues," explores the complex relationship between economic inequality and political thought from Plato to Marx. He delves into how these historical thinkers, including Jesus and Rousseau, grappled with wealth concentration and its societal impacts. Williams emphasizes the moral implications of economic disparities and critiques the prevailing meritocratic values, urging a reevaluation of wealth's role in shaping governance and community dynamics today.