David Runciman is one of our leading public intellectuals, a professor of politics at Cambridge University who is also a prolific podcaster and populariser of big ideas. He has a fast, accessible style as both a speaker and writer.
His trick as a podcaster – he has recently launched a new show, Past Present Future – is to deliver fluent, unscripted talks explaining the ideas of canonical thinkers and their relevance to the present moment. His tone is jaunty and aphoristic, and one applauds his desire to reach a mass audience and willingness to engage with contemporary politics as well as the history of ideas.
What fascinates Runciman most as a writer is what he calls the “trade-off” between personal liberty and collective choice that
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