In The Origins of Totalitarianism (1951) the political thinker Hannah Arendt warned of the dangers if the distinction between fact and fiction – and between true and false – is lost. Aware of the fragility of democracy, Arendt argued that democracy depends on populations accepting facts about social life; without such shared facts, democracy can be imperilled. What happens though when facts become matters of opinion?

In this 10-Minute Talk Michael Billig discusses the works of Hannah Arendt and why they may help us understand recent events involving President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

Speaker: Professor Michael Billig FBA, Emeritus Professor of Social Sciences, Loughborough University

Transcript: https://www.thebritishacademy.ac.uk/podcasts/10-minute-talks-donald-trump-boris-johnson-warnings-hannah-arendt/