A day to reflect on the meaning of freedom
For younger generations, the Berlin Wall means little. But it is worth knowing about and remembering. [...]
History
History is more than a set of pre-defined answers
Even with that understanding of history, different people will come to different conclusions. [...]
Don’t know much about history?
New Zealand students deserve a better understanding of history, including their own but not limited to it. [...]
Europe’s directionless leader
Thirty years after unification, Germany remains a big, little country. A powerless hegemon. A directionless leader. Then again, that may not be such a bad outcome. Had Thatcher and Mitterrand been right, it might have been worse. [...]
A return to normal? Forget about it.
Covid-19 is not just a medical and economic crisis. It is a historical watershed moment with massive effects for entire generations. [...]
The West in a new cold war with itself
This new Cold War could be decided not by Beijing’s victory but by the West’s suicide. [...]
30 Years after the Wall: Socialism 2.0
I am celebrating the anniversary of the Fall of the Berlin Wall. Even though it is unnerving to realise that the 30 years that have passed have turned me into a political dinosaur at 44. [...]
Rediscovering the West
When future historians look back at our world today, they will regard it as the end of an era. Over the space of just a few years, the fundamentals of our political and economic order have all changed. [...]
When comedy meets ignorance
The prospect of a new Taika Waititi movie is usually a reason for joyful anticipation. However, watching the trailer of Jojo Rabbit and reading the first reviews left me appalled. [...]
Millennial ignorance
A large majority of Australian millennials find socialism attractive. And they believe that capitalism has failed. [...]