The History of Ideas Podcast
with David Runciman
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The Myth of the 1945 General Election
23 March 2026
In this PPF+ bonus episode David talks about an event that still exerts a firm grip on British political imaginations. For many politicians – above all Labour politicians – the 1945 general election remains the model for what it is possible to achieve against the odds. But does the reality match up to the myth? Did Labour actually buck the odds? Was it a vote for change or was it a vote for more of the same? Why is it so hard for lightning to strike twice? And what does 1945 suggest about the choices facing Labour today?
Societal Collapse: The Personal and the Political
9 March 2026
This bonus episode to accompany our series with Luke Kemp about how societies collapse and how they can recover explores his own story to explain how he came to think the way he does. When did he start to think about the end of the world? What made him conclude that early human societies could help make sense of our present and our future? How have his views changed and where does he think hope comes from?
Where Are We Going? John Hersey’s Hiroshima
23 February 2026
In this PPF+ bonus episode to accompany our series about nuclear war and nuclear weapons, David explores the definitive piece of reportage on the experiences of the people of Hiroshima on 6th August 1945 and afterwards. How did John Hersey manage to capture the horror of the attack through tales of its survivors? What do their stories tell us about the aftereffects of the use of these weapons? Did anyone truly understand what had happened? Can we make sense of it today?
What’s Wrong with Political Philosophy? The Personal and the Political
12 February 2026
David talks to Paul Sagar about how individual experiences do so much to shape all of our political and philosophical outlooks. How much of what we believe about questions of principle is down to who we happen to be? Where does luck come in? Does good luck or bad luck change how we might feel about politics? And what really matters?
Politics on Trial: The Trial of Saddam Hussein and the Legacy of the Iraq War
22 January 2026
Today’s bonus episode is part two of David’s conversation with Glen Rangwala about the trial and execution of Saddam Hussein. How did Saddam’s execution turn into such a grisly spectacle? Who or what ended up deciding his fate? What is Saddam’s legacy in the region today? And what has been the long-term impact of the Iraq War and its failures on contemporary global politics?
Now & Then with Robert Saunders: Home Rule For Ireland! - The Crisis
8 January 2026
Today’s bonus episode is the second part of David’s conversation with historian Robert Saunders about how the question of Irish Home Rule blew up British politics. What happened when Gladstone made a final attempt to secure parliamentary support for Home Rule? How did the House of Lords become the flashpoint for the political fight? Who ended up militarising the struggle? And what kept Britain from falling into the abyss of civil war in 1914? Plus: more Brexit analogies!
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