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The Bunker – News without the nonsense

Strongmen behaving badly – The changing face of populists

The Bunker – News without the nonsense

Podmasters

News, Society & Culture, Politics, Government

4.61K Ratings

🗓️ 4 January 2023

⏱️ 31 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

There seem to be more authoritarian figures than ever before. But is this true? And if so, what do these leaders have in common? Ruth Ben-Ghiat, author of Strongmen: Mussolini to the Present joins Alex Andreou to explore how authoritarianism has changed over time, and why the greatest strengths of ‘strongmen’ could also be their biggest downfall.  “Leader personality cults often present them as omnipotent.” “The same instincts of these leaders to win followers domestically can cause their downfall on the international stage.”  “Financial networks are key to controlling people.” Support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/bunkercast  Written and presented by Alex Andreou. Producers: Jet Gerbertson, Alex Rees. Assistant producer: Kasia Tomasiewicz. Lead producer: Jacob Jarvis. Bunker music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production by Jade Bailey. Artwork by James Parrett. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0

My name is Stan. I'm at. Nice to meet you. So you took up photography where? I've always loved

0:05.5

photography but I turn it into earning a living at 60. I enrolled on a day course.

0:11.8

Well college. I loved going to college. It's good you can retry. I'm enrolled on the day course. But college?

0:13.0

I loved going to college.

0:14.0

It's good you can retrain and do something.

0:16.0

Yeah, yeah.

0:17.0

Let's talk about working, learning, saving and making the most of living longer.

0:22.0

Phoenix Group is the UK's largest long-term savings and retirement business.

0:28.0

Search Phoenix Group living longer.

0:30.0

Pets brings so much joy.

0:32.0

From those happy greetings at the door to the warm cuddles on the sofa

0:36.7

so give a little love back with dental life from Purina a range of delicious chues made for dogs and tasty snacks for cats that help clean and support your pets, teeth and gums, essential for their overall well-being and a happy, healthy life. They give you plenty of smiles so look

0:55.5

after theirs with dental life. Pick up dental life in the pet food aisle. Hello and welcome to the bunker daily I am your host Alex Andro.

1:12.3

When populist strong men have little else to offer, they offer pride.

1:19.0

Those are the words of Delhi-based political columnist Assima Lee in a piece that looked at the parallels between Erdogan and Modi.

1:27.6

We may dislike them, but we cannot ignore them.

1:31.1

According to the Tony Blair Institute, populist leaders have increased fivefold

1:37.4

between 1990 and 2018. My guest today is a historian and professor at New York University who has quite literally devoted her entire career as a scholar to the study of authoritarianism.

1:51.0

I consumed her latest book Strongman, How They Rise, Why They Succeed How They Fall,

1:57.8

Like a man in a desert with a tall glass of water, and I just knew I had to speak to her.

2:03.0

Welcome to the bunker, Ruth Ben Geat.

2:06.0

Thank you.

...

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