The People are Revolting - Professor David Bates

Professor David Bates, Professor of Contemporary Political Thought and Director of Research and Enterprise at CCCU,  delivers the third lecture in the Professorial Beacon Lectures series, exploring the decline of liberal democracy and the rise of new political-economic dynamics. He highlights how national populism and authoritarian capitalism — led by powerful figures allied with wealthy elites — exploit public discontent while acting against the interests of those they claim to represent. Bates warns of a bleak future, particularly for the Global South and all but the wealthiest in the Global North, and while he offers some ideas for resisting these forces, his outlook remains cautious and somber.