The Philosophy of Russell Brand
Analysis
BBC
4.6 • 1K Ratings
🗓️ 3 February 2014
⏱️ 28 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
In a recent Newsnight interview, the comedian Russell Brand predicted a revolution. His comments entertained many and became the most-watched political interview of 2013. But between the lines, Brand was also giving voice to the populist resurgence of a serious but controversial idea: anarchism.
The new "anarcho-populism" is the 21st century activist's politics of choice. In evidence in recent student protests, the Occupy movement, in political encampments in parks and squares around the world, it combines age-old anarchist thought with a modern knack for inclusive, consumerist politics.
Brand's interview was just one especially prominent example. The thinkers behind the movement say it points the way forward. Jeremy Cliffe, The Economist's Britain politics correspondent, asks if they are right?
Producer: Lucy Proctor.
Transcript
Click on a timestamp to play from that location
| 0:00.0 | Just before this BBC podcast gets underway, here's something you may not know. |
| 0:04.7 | My name's Linda Davies and I Commission Podcasts for BBC Sounds. |
| 0:08.5 | As you'd expect, at the BBC we make podcasts of the very highest quality featuring the most knowledgeable experts and genuinely engaging voices. |
| 0:18.0 | What you may not know is that the BBC makes podcasts about all kinds of things like pop stars, |
| 0:24.6 | poltergeist, cricket, and conspiracy theories and that's just a few examples. |
| 0:29.7 | If you'd like to discover something a little bit unexpected, find your next podcast over at BBC Sounds. |
| 0:36.0 | Thank you for downloading analysis from the BBC. |
| 0:39.0 | In this program, Jeremy Cliff enters a world without rules, without government, but with plenty of facial hair, |
| 0:45.0 | as he explores the philosophy of Russell Brand. |
| 0:47.0 | There's going to be a revolution. It's totally going to happen. |
| 0:54.0 | I don't know, I ain't got a flicker of doubt. This is the end. |
| 0:58.0 | This is time to wake up. |
| 1:00.0 | It was the most talked about political statement of 2013. |
| 1:04.0 | Russell Brand appeared on newsnight with Jeremy Paxman to talk about democracy. |
| 1:08.0 | To some, that seemed out of character. |
| 1:10.0 | Brand is a comedian. We're more used to him saying things like this. |
| 1:14.0 | Well, outcome I feel so cross with you. |
| 1:16.0 | It can't just be because of that beard. It's gorgeous. |
| 1:18.0 | Grow it longer. Tangle it into your armpit here. |
| 1:21.0 | You are a very trivial man. A trivial man with a serious |
| 1:26.3 | message. The planet is being destroyed. We are creating an underclass. We are |
| 1:30.5 | exploiting poor people all over the world and the genuine legitimate problems of the people are not being addressed by our political |
... |
Please login to see the full transcript.
Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from BBC, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.
Generated transcripts are the property of BBC and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.
Copyright © Tapesearch 2026.