John Morley & the Politics of Compromise

John Morley & the Politics of Compromise

Author: Political Theory 101 March 5, 2025 Duration: 1:27:03
We discuss the work of John Morley, a British viscount heavily involved in the government of Ireland and India during the late 19th and early 20th century. Morley was a liberal, but he was often in situations in which his liberalism was pushed to its limit. We discuss how he thought about liberty as a young man, and how he worked to put his beliefs into practice in difficult circumstances.

Ever wondered how the ideas that shape our world actually work? Political Theory 101 digs into the concepts and arguments that form the foundation of our political lives, moving beyond the daily headlines to examine the deeper currents of thought. Each episode takes a single idea-like justice, liberty, or power-and unpacks it, tracing its history and exploring its modern implications. You’ll hear clear explanations of complex philosophers and texts, making centuries of debate accessible and relevant to contemporary issues. This isn't about partisan talking points; it's about understanding the frameworks that different ideologies use to justify their views. The podcast is a resource for anyone looking to build a more informed perspective, whether you're a student, an engaged citizen, or simply curious about why societies are organized the way they are. While the show remains freely available to all listeners, its continued production is supported by a community of patrons. You can find Political Theory 101 across major streaming platforms, ready to add some depth to your playlist and provide a richer vocabulary for understanding the forces that govern us.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 96

Political Theory 101
Podcast Episodes
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We talk about Alexandre Kojève, whose reading of Hegel gave rise to a theory of recognition and of an "end of history". We also discuss Kojève's influence on Francis Fukuyama and on contemporary liberalism.
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Clarence Streit and International Federalism [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:41:28
We discuss Streit's 1939 proposal for a international federation of democracies to avoid a new world war. We explore the limits of argumentation and the difference between making an argument and doing politics.
Friedrich List and the National System [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:26:50
We discuss Friedrich List's many careers, his struggle for a German customs union, his belief that nationalism would lead to the "uniting of all nations under a common law of right", what happened instead, and why.
Vico and the Concept of the Natural [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:22:16
We discuss Vico's theory of nature, his unorthodox mix of stereotypically ancient and modern approaches, and how his "new science" seems to be going so far.
Hobbes' Behemoth [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:40:45
A whole episode of Political Theory 101 devoted to Thomas Hobbes' Behemoth. We discuss Hobbes' historical narrative and his theory of education, both of which receive little attention in Leviathan.
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Duration: 1:47:41
Michael Downs joins Benjamin to discuss the political thought of Nick Land, its relationship to the work of Deleuze and Guattari, and the degree to which it has influenced the contemporary left and right.
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Duration: 1:36:32
We discuss how Plato used dialectical thinking to deal with objections to the theory of the forms. Then we discuss how this kind of thinking enriches our ability to make use of all sorts of political concepts and abstrac…
The Politics of Plato's Philebus [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:57:41
Daniel joins Benjamin to discuss Plato's Philebus. We traverse the dialectic of limit and unlimit and discuss the difference between memory and recollection, connecting all of this to Plato's political thought.
Clausewitz (w/Elizabeth Dearden-Williams) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 58:09
Elizabeth Dearden-Williams, a former student of mine from Cambridge who is currently pursuing a masters, comes on to discuss the work of the Prussian general Carl von Clausewitz.