Show Notes
In our latest escapade to widen discourse on the Left, we sat down with Owen Jones to discuss his latest book, 'The Fall of The West'.
Certainly, Owen Jones is a polarising figure in British politics. Once upon a time, he was the leading talking head representing Labour under Corbyn. But he has since become a campaigner in his own right, now known across the globe for taking the mainstream media (and indeed his old party) to task over its coverage of the Middle East.
Owen's latest book looks at the broader demise of the West - an analysis shared with many on the populist right. His argument is that hubris has created decline, pushing the West to wage backfiring foreign wars that have destroyed its credibility, created global instability and added huge debts to an already crumbling financial model.
In this discussion we traverse the large expanse of modern foreign policy, how domestic politics has become polarised and address the numerous criticisms of Owen's anti-imperialist politics.
Chapters 00:00 Intro 02:47 How Do You Define ‘The West’? 10:12 Critiquing Corporatist Capitalism 14:45 Could The Left Predict The Rise of Fascism? 20:53 A New Left Political Economy 29:02 The Green’s ZiR Motion 38:42 The Two State Solution 47:47 ‘From The River To The Sea’ 52:12 Is Western Intervention Ever Justified? 1:02:02 NATO, Putin and Ukraine 1:10:38 What About Anti-Western Ideology? 1:22:15 How Should We Defend Ourselves?
More from What's Left? With Jovan + Freddie
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We're delighted to be joined by the Rt Hon Kanishka Narayan MP. In our first episode from Labour Conference 2026, we discuss the backlash to AI doomsday warnings, the fragility of the AI economy and how this tech will be used - to the benefit or detriment of workers. As listeners will know, we've approached AI with a healthy dose of scepticism. Technology is itself neutral but the politics emerges in its application. We have plenty examples in history of how industrial revolutions disempowered workers before inevitable backlash and revolution. Do we need to wait for things to get bad? Or does the UK have a serious plan for a future that harnesses the white heat of technology? We delve into all of this and more, asking how the UK is preparing for the moral mission of worker-centric AI.
JOIN US ON SUBSTACK: substack.com/@wtfisleft Early Access to Ad-Free Extended Interviews Ask our Guests Questions LIVEs with Jovan + Freddie WL Book Club + Community Discussion Articles + Exclusive Content
JOIN US ON SUBSTACK: substack.com/@wtfisleft Early Access to Ad-Free Extended Interviews Ask our Guests Questions LIVEs with Jovan + Freddie WL Book Club + Community Discussion Articles + Exclusive Content MAKE A DONATION: https://buymeacoffee.com/wtfisleft
JOIN US ON SUBSTACK: substack.com/@wtfisleft Early Access to Ad-Free Extended Interviews Ask our Guests Questions LIVEs with Jovan + Freddie WL Book Club + Community Discussion Articles + Exclusive Content