logo
episode-header-image
Aug 2023
55m 50s

Conservative socialism?

Vox
About this episode

What will American politics look like after Trump? Sean Illing is joined by Sohrab Ahmari to discuss his new book, Tyranny, Inc. Ahmari is one of the conservative intellectuals trying to map out a post-Trump future for the Republican Party, and his book is an attempt to justify a form of democratic socialism from the right. The two discuss whether his vision could ever be the basis for a broader coalition.

Host: Sean Illing (@seanilling), host, The Gray Area

Guest: Sohrab Ahmari (@SohrabAhmari), author, Tyranny, Inc.

References: 


Enjoyed this episode? Rate The Gray Area ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ and leave a review on Apple Podcasts.

Subscribe for free. Be the first to hear the next episode of The Gray Area by subscribing in your favorite podcast app.

Support The Gray Area by making a financial contribution to Vox! bit.ly/givepodcasts

This episode was made by: 

  • Engineer: Erica Huang
  • Deputy Editorial Director, Vox Talk: A.M. Hall

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Up next
Jun 30
If AI can do your classwork, why go to college?
What’s the point of college if no one’s actually doing the work? It’s not a rhetorical question. In the age of AI, it's incredibly easy for students to offload their assignments. AI tools can write essays, make study guides, and even complete whole assignments. So what is the poi ... Show More
59m 21s
Jun 16
Is Trump winning?
We’re nearly six months into Donald Trump’s second term as president, and a lot of us are still trying to figure out what that actually means. Not just politically. But culturally. What kind of country are we living in? And what kind of future are we heading toward? In today’s ep ... Show More
52m 31s
Jun 9
A right-wing economist makes his case
For decades, the American right has stayed on brand: the economy. Low taxes. Free markets. Deregulation. Those have been the buzzwords for more than half a century. But that doctrine is now being challenged by other conservatives who envision a future in which America’s trade def ... Show More
1h 8m
Recommended Episodes
Sep 2023
34. Ed Davey: Leading the Lib Dems, fighting the Tories, and a coalition with Starmer’s Labour?
What was it like for the Liberal Democrats in coalition? Would Ed Davey be prepared to work alongside Keir Starmer in another coalition government? Is tactical voting a good idea? Join Rory and Alastair as they speak with leader of the Liberal Democrats, Ed Davey, to discuss all ... Show More
1h 12m
Jul 2023
25: Michael Ignatieff: Fighting Orban's Global Conservative Cabal
What's it like to know how your obituary will read? What makes the democratic system the best for fighting against climate change? How does politics change a person, whether they like it or not? Alastair and Rory sit down with politician, academic, and writer Michael Ignatieff on ... Show More
1h 4m
Oct 2023
Checks and Balance: Well enough alone?
On foreign policy, trade and immigration, the Republican Party wants America to push the world away. This is a departure, but also a return to what the party used to believe. How did the Republican Party go from isolationism to internationalism and then back again? And what does ... Show More
51m 25s
Apr 2023
Best Of: The War Within the Republican Party
On Monday, Fox News abruptly announced that the network and its star primetime host, Tucker Carlson, “have agreed to part ways” after more than a decade. The announcement came less than a week after Fox agreed to pay $787.5 million in a defamation lawsuit that prominently feature ... Show More
1h 23m
Oct 2023
180. Question Time: Is Suella Braverman pretending to be right-wing?
Would Keir Starmer embrace proportional representation? Is the Tory right just a group of political entrepreneurs using their hardline views to climb the greasy pole? Is a wealth tax the only way to address the problem of funding adult social care? Join Alastair and Rory as they ... Show More
27m 42s
May 2024
Defending Socialism: A Logical Critique of Capitalism
Philosopher Scott Sehon joins Breht to discuss his new book "Socialism: A Logical Introduction". Together they analyze arguments in favor of capitalism, argue against them, and defend socialism as a superior form of socio-economic organization in the process. They discuss differe ... Show More
1h 33m
Jul 2023
26: Francis Fukuyama: Trump, Modi, and ‘The End of History’
What was the worst political mistake in modern history? How do religious Republicans bring themselves to support Trump? Was it wrong to describe the fall of the Soviet Union as ‘The End of History’? On today’s episode of Leading, Alastair and Rory sit down with political scientis ... Show More
1 h
Jan 2023
The Hayek Puzzle
Long before Margaret Thatcher told her cabinet that The Constitution of Liberty was “what we believe”, neoliberal poster boy Friedrich Hayek had been denounced by his mentor as a socialist. Following his review of a new biography, Jonathan Rée speaks to Tom about Hayek’s celebrit ... Show More
40m 26s
Oct 2023
177. Question Time: A new centrist party, mafia politics in New Jersey, and was Jesus a socialist?
How corrupt is US politics? Will we see a new centrist party in the UK? How did Tony Blair overcome nerves at the dispatch box? Join Rory Stewart and Alastair Campbell as they answer all these questions and more on today's episode of TRIP Question Time. TRIP Plus:Become a member ... Show More
34m 51s
Mar 2024
231. Labour's struggle for economic vision and Haiti on the brink
What's happening in Haiti? Why is Keir Starmer getting dragged into culture war politics? Is Rachel Reeves' economic plan for the country "underwhelming" or "thoughtful"? Join Rory and Alastair as they answer all these questions and more on today's episode of The Rest Is Politics ... Show More
57m 43s