About this episode

The episode explores the origins and potential decline of the nation-state through a conversation with Rana Dasgupta about his book on global order.

Where did the nation-state come from—and what happens if the conditions that made it powerful are now disappearing? Thomas discusses these questions and much more in this wide-ranging Conflicted Conversation with award-winning novelist and essayist Rana Dasgupta, whose new book After Nations: The Making and Unmaking of a World Order sets out to explain where our world order came from and where it could be going. Rana explains: The origins of the modern nation-state and the decline of universal sacred empires Louis IX, the Crown of Thorns and the sacralisation of the French state How Enlightenment political theology transformed God, sovereignty and individual rights Industrialisation, mass democracy, welfare states and the political power of workers Liberalism, populism and the changing relationship between elites and mass democracy The origins of international law in empire, property rights and global capitalism Why the postwar rules-based international order is now weakening The East India Company, Silicon Valley and the rise of quasi-sovereign corporate power China as an alternative model of state power and control over private capital Climate change, mass migration and whether…

People in this episode

Host: Thomas

Guest: Rana Dasgupta

Topics covered

• nation-state
• global order
• political power
• international law
• corporate power
• climate change
• mass migration

Keywords

• nation-state
• Rana Dasgupta
• global capitalism
• political theology
• mass democracy
• climate change
• nomad century

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: East India Company, Silicon Valley

Books & works: After Nations: The Making and Unmaking of a World Order

Places: China

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