Simon Chadwick grew up in apartheid South Africa and saw the horrors of how totalitarian regimens gain power and oppress their people. His father, Bishop Graham Chadwick, was a prominent anti-apartheid activist who was exiled from the regime. Seeing clear parallels between those early experiences to what is happening in the United States, he wrote the For the People: A Citizens’ Manifesto to Shaping our Nation’s Future. He holds a Masters’s Degree in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics from Oxford University. We talk about Trump, political dialogue, and the state of American democracy. Is good governance still possible? What are the challenges facing civil society? What comes next? While this interview was conducted before the Russian incursion into Ukraine, there are some relevant takeaways.

Key Highlights:

[00:01 – 11:11 ] Opening Segment

Simon’s outlook on the American democracy

An overview of the Trump phenomenon

The lack of trust and skepticism on a public scale

[11:12 – 22: 17] The Citizen’s Manifesto

The reasons why people voted for Trump and why they justies their vote

Why certain problems gain existential traction with the left versus the right

People believe there’s no need to compromise in politics

[22:18 – 32:31] Younger Generations Have The Ability To Change Direction

How to respond to the extreme amount of anxiety and fear towards the future

Simon’s top three policy proposals that could get America back on the right track

We’ve lost the idea of fellow citizens and society

[32:32 – 43:39] The Solution To The Political And Human Condition

The individual focus vs the societal focus

Why the government’s role is to do anything more than just ensure security

Simon’s insights about the issue of homelessness

[43:39 – 52:23] Closing Segment

How people get money out of politics

Want to connect with Simon? Head to www.simonchadwick.us, a citizen’s manifesto to shaping our nation’s future!

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Resources Mentioned:

The Dictator’s Handbook – Bruce Bueno de Mesquita & Alastair Smith

Blue States, You’re The Problem

Key Quotes:

Simon Chadwick – “If our economy isn’t collapsing, which it isn’t, the social fabric to use your words of society is severely endangered.” 

Simon Chadwick – “We paint the other side as the enemy. We’ve lost sight that actually they’re just as American as we are, they know the same rights as we do.” 

Simon Chadwick –  “The most successful changes in society have always come from younger generations deciding that they’re going to do something about it.”