Bungacast
/442/ The Unique French Capacity for Disappointment ft. Nathan Sperber (sample)
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Show notes
On France's permacrisis.
[Patreon Exclusive]
French sociologist Nathan Sperber talks to George and Alex about his new essay in the New Left Review, "The French Crisis: Organic or Conjunctural". We catch up with what has happened in France since Macron gambled and called impromptu elections in the summer. We discuss:
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Why does France always seem to be more in crisis than its neighbours?
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How has France ended up with hollow "leaderist" parties?
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Is Macron a true neoliberal or a reactive emergency politician?
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Did the left-wing France Insoumise miss its shot?
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How inevitable is a Le Pen government, and will it be co-opted by the French bureaucracy?
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What's the difference between an organic and a conjunctural crisis – and which one is France in?
Readings:
- The French Crisis: Organic or Conjunctural?, Nathan Sperber, New Left Review (pdf attached)
- An Introduction to Antonio Gramsci: His Life, Thought and Legacy, George Hoare & Nathan Sperber, Bloomsbury (Feb 2025)