Another selection of blog highlights, in the somewhat forlorn hope that remembering the past might help us to prepare for the future.
Dynastic worries in North Korea (April 2020). Talk of the succession to Kim Jong-un in North Korea reminds us of some of the problems of monarchical government.
Writing to the queen (July 2020). John Kerr’s reports to the palace show him in a poor light but fail to reveal any grand conspiracy. The political debate, however, rolls on independently of the evidence.
“W” revisited (December 2020). The disputed-but-not-really presidential election in the US raises memories of its 2000 predecessor. It’s important to understand that the degeneration of the Republican Party didn’t begin with Donald Trump.
Another Lib Dem moment (June 2021). The Liberal Democrats win a by-election in southern England, raising again the hopes of realignment that have been dashed many times before.
Kosovo is not Crimea (August 2022). A war scare in the Balkans offers a warning against being misled by the force of bad analogies.
Will they ever learn? (November 2022). The Victorian election shows the Liberal Party’s failure to learn the lessons of history – even its own history.
OK, let’s talk about Qantas (September 2023). Qantas’s troubles raise interesting questions about privatisation and corporate regulation.
Death of a realist (December 2023). Henry Kissinger departs, and we are left with the consequences of his crimes and of the doctrine that made them possible.
India’s autocrat falters (June 2024). India’s authoritarian prime minister wins a third term, but the voters clip his wings.
Nukes and madness (June 2025). The nuclear genie is already out of the bottle, and many of its custodians are less than ideal. Adding Iran to the list would not materially alter that position.
Coup plotters around the world (September 2025). Brazil’s former president is convicted of an attempted coup; similar charges are being brought in Romania, but the US’s plotter remains at large.
Desperate measures for the Victorian Liberals (November 2025). The Victorian Liberal Party’s 16th leader is also the first woman in the job. She has taken on a big task.
The World is Not Enough 