The World After COVID

The Munk Debates

Rudyard Griffiths, Rudyard Griffiths

• Publisher: House of Anansi Press
• Year: 2021
• ISBN:
  9781487008406
• Topic: Politics & International Relations
• Subtopic: Political History & Theory
• Index: Politics & International Relations

From the world-renowned Munk Debates comes a collection of dialogues by leading intellectuals envisioning our post-pandemic future.

During this time of social distancing, the acclaimed Munk Debates series have been reimagined into a series of dialogues by leading intellectuals who examine the geopolitical, economic, technological, and historical angles of this unprecedented new era.

How will the world look after COVID-19? What is the future for the international economy and institutions? Will the global balance of power shift? Can technology save us? These are the questions that have occupied the best minds since the beginning of the pandemic.

In a series of one-on-one conversations with moderator Rudyard Griffiths, renowned author Malcolm Gladwell, journalist Fareed Zakaria, and New York Times columnist David Brooks, along with six other thinkers, dissect what brought us here and what comes next.

About the Editor

RUDYARD GRIFFITHS is the chair of the Munk Debates and president of the Aurea Charitable Foundation. In 2006 he was named one of Canada’s “Top 40 under 40” by the Globe and Mail. He is the editor of thirteen books on history, politics, and international affairs, including Who We Are: A Citizen’s Manifesto, which was a Globe and Mail Best Book of 2009 and a finalist for the Shaughnessy Cohen Prize for Political Writing. He lives in Toronto with his wife and two children.

About the Publisher

House of Anansi Press was founded in 1967 with a mandate to publish Canadian-authored books, a mandate that continues to this day even as the list has branched out to include internationally acclaimed thinkers and writers. The press immediately gained attention for significant titles by notable writers such as Margaret Atwood, Michael Ondaatje, George Grant, and Northrop Frye. Since then, Anansi’s commitment to finding, publishing, and promoting challenging, excellent writing has won it tremendous acclaim and solid staying power. Today Anansi is Canada’s pre-eminent independent press, and home to nationally and internationally bestselling and acclaimed authors such as Gil Adamson, Margaret Atwood, Ken Babstock, Peter Behrens, Rawi Hage, Misha Glenny, Jim Harrison, A. L. Kennedy, Pasha Malla, Lisa Moore, A. F. Moritz, Eric Siblin, Karen Solie, and Ronald Wright. Anansi is also proud to publish the award-winning nonfiction series The CBC Massey Lectures. In 2007, 2009, 2010, and 2011 Anansi was honoured by the Canadian Booksellers Association as “Publisher of the Year.”

Read More from the Munk Debates — Canada’s Premier Debate Series

The Future of Capitalism

Vanden Heuvel and Varoufakis vs. Brooks and Brooks

In Western societies, the capitalist system is facing a level of distrust not seen in decades. Economic inequality is rampant. Life expectancy is falling. Political power is wielded by wealthy elites and big business. For capitalism’s critics, the solution is a top-to-bottom reform of the “free market” along more socialist and democratic lines. For proponents of capitalism, however, this system has been the greatest engine of economic and social progress in history. The answer to society’s current ills is more capitalism, more economic freedom, and more free markets.

The twenty-fifth semi-annual Munk Debate pits editorial director and publisher of the Nation Katrina vanden Heuvel and former finance minister of Greece Yanis Varoufakis against Harvard professor Arthur Brooks and New York Times columnist David Brooks to debate whether the capitalist system is broken.

“We need to organize politically to defend the weak, empower the many, and prepare the ground for reversing the absurdities of capitalism.” — Yanis Varoufakis

houseofanansi.com/collections/munk-debates

Read More from the Munk Debates — Canada’s Premier Debate Series

China and the West

McMaster and Pillsbury vs. Mahbubani and Wang

Increasingly in the West, China is being characterized as a threat to the liberal international order. For those who believe that the policies of the Chinese Communist Party pose a threat to free and open societies, the U.S. and like-minded nations must band together to preserve a rules-based international order. For others, rather than threatening the postwar order, China is its best, and maybe only, guarantor in an era of declining U.S. leadership, increased regional instability, and slowing global growth. Former assistant to the president for national security affairs H. R. McMaster and director for Chinese strategy at the D.C.-based Hudson Institute think tank Michael Pillsbury debate former president of the United Nations Security Council Kishore Mahbubani and president of the Center for China and Globalization Huiyao Wang on the threat of China to the liberal international order.

“The Chinese Communist Party’s obsession with absolute control has profound implications not only for the Chinese people, but also for the rest of the world.” — H. R. McMaster

houseofanansi.com/collections/munk-debates

Read More from the Munk Debates — Canada’s Premier Debate Series

The Rise of Populism

Bannon vs. Frum

Throughout the Western world, politics is undergoing a sea change. Long-held notions of the role of government, trade and economic policy, foreign policy, and immigration are being challenged by populist thinkers and movements. Does this surging populist agenda in Western nations signal a permanent shift in our politics? Or is it a passing phenomenon that will remain at the fringes of society and political power? Will our politics continue to be shaped by the postwar consensus on trade, inclusive national identity, and globalization, or by the agenda of insurgent populist politics, parties, and leaders?

The twenty-third semi-annual Munk Debate pits former Donald Trump advisor Stephen K. Bannon against columnist and public intellectual David Frum to debate the future of the liberal political order.

“I want to bring everything crashing down and destroy all of today’s establishment.” — Stephen K. Bannon

houseofanansi.com/collections/munk-debates

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Political Correctness

Dyson and Goldberg vs. Fry and Peterson

Is political correctness an enemy of free speech, open debate, and the free exchange of ideas? Or, by confronting head-on the dominant power relationships and social norms that exclude marginalized groups, are we creating a more equitable and just society? For some the argument is clear. Political correctness is stifling the free and open debate that fuels our democracy. It is also needlessly dividing one group from another and promoting social conflict. Others insist that creating public spaces and norms that give voice to previously marginalized groups broadens the scope of free speech. The drive toward inclusion over exclusion is essential to creating healthy, diverse societies in an era of rapid social change.

The twenty-second semi-annual Munk Debate, held on May 18, 2018, pits acclaimed journalist, professor, and ordained minister Michael Eric Dyson and New York Times columnist Michelle Goldberg against renowned actor and writer Stephen Fry and University of Toronto professor and author Jordan Peterson to debate the implications of political correctness and freedom of speech.

“Without free speech there is no true thought.” — Jordan Peterson

houseofanansi.com/collections/munk-debates

Read More from the Munk Debates — Canada’s Premier Debate Series

Is American Democracy in Crisis?

Dionne and Sullivan vs. Gingrich and Strassel

It is the public debate of the moment: Is Donald Trump precipitating a crisis of American democracy? For some the answer is an emphatic “yes.” Trump’s disregard for the institutions and political norms of U.S. democracy is imperilling the Republic. The sooner his presidency collapses the sooner the healing can begin and the ship of state be righted. For others Trump is not the villain in this drama. Rather, his young presidency is the conduit, not the cause, of America’s deep-seated anger toward a privileged and self-dealing Washington elite. Trump’s disruption of politics as usual is what America needs to start the process of restoring democracy by the people, for the people.

The twenty-first semi-annual Munk Debate, held on October 12, 2017, pits award-winning journalist E. J. Dionne Jr. and influential author and blogger Andrew Sullivan against former Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Newt Gingrich and bestselling author and editor Kimberley Strassel to debate the current crisis of American democracy.

“Our country is now as close to crossing the line from democracy to autocracy as it has been in our lifetimes.” — E. J. Dionne Jr.

houseofanansi.com/collections/munk-debates

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Is This the End of the Liberal International Order?

Niall Ferguson vs. Fareed Zakaria

Since the...

Table of contents

• The World After COVID
• A Letter from Peter Munk
• The World after COVID
• CopyrightSplit
• Contents
• BodySplit
• Malcolm Gladwell in Conversation with Rudyard Griffiths
• Fareed Zakaria in Conversation with Rudyard Griffiths
• Mohamed El-Erian in Conversation with Rudyard Griffiths
• Samantha Power in Conversation with Rudyard Griffiths
• Niall Ferguson in Conversation with Rudyard Griffiths
• Kara Swisher in Conversation with Rudyard Griffiths
• David Brooks in Conversation with Rudyard Griffiths
• Ian Bremmer in Conversation with Rudyard Griffiths
• Victor Gao in Conversation with Rudyard Griffiths
• Acknowledgements
• About the Contributors
• About the Editor