Robert Gildea

In this engaging discussion, guests Karine Varley, Robert Gildea, and Julia Nicholls delve into the dramatic Siege of Paris during the Franco-Prussian War. Varley sheds light on the city's resilience amid food shortages, while Gildea provides historical context regarding the geopolitical tensions leading to the conflict. Nicholls explores the rise and fall of the Paris Commune, emphasizing its revolutionary aspirations and the role of socialists. The profound impact of these events on French nationalism and the legacy of the Commune in modern politics are also highlighted.

Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss Alexis de Tocqueville (1805-1859) and his examination of the American democratic system. He wrote De La Démocratie en Amérique in two parts, published in 1835 and 1840, when France was ruled by the July Monarchy of Louis-Philippe. Tocqueville was interested in how aspects of American democracy, in the age of President Andrew Jackson, could be applied to Europe as it moved away from rule by monarchs and aristocrats. His work has been revisited by politicians ever since, particularly in America, with its analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of direct democracy and its warnings of mediocrity and the tyranny of the majority.WithRobert Gildea Professor of Modern History at the University of OxfordSusan-Mary Grant Professor of American History at Newcastle Universityand Jeremy Jennings Professor of Political Theory and Head of the School of Politics & Economics at King's College LondonProducer: Simon Tillotson.