Episode
Thoughts on Politics and Revolution | Crises of the Republic
- Published
- Apr 17, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 4108
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Summary
In this episode of the podcast, Roger Berkowitz concludes our reading of Crises of the Republic by introducing Arendt’s 1970 interview “Thoughts on Politics and Revolution.” Framing it through recent wars and Arendt’s claim that declining power invites violence, he emphasizes Arendt’s diagnosis of a “revolutionary situation” in which power has lost legitimacy and lies “in the streets,” yet would-be revolutionaries lack serious analysis and rely on clichés. Arendt rejects capitalism vs. socialism as false alternatives, arguing both drive modern expropriation and that freedom depends on legal-political limits independent of economic forces. The discussion highlights her view that modern “total war” makes decisive victory impossible without massive war crimes, raising the need to rethink sovereignty and the state. Arendt’s tentative alternative is a federal, bottom-up council system that repeatedly appears in revolutions to secure participation and “public happiness.” Rate and review if you like this podcast! Join us on April 23rd, 2026, at 5p EST for the 4th annual De Gruyter-Arendt Center Lecture in Political Thinking delivered by Uday Singh Mehta on "Militant Non-Violence". Watch the livestream on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/live/OuIpCiZYHRM?si=21NBf9fx0ebPEZhu ABOUT: Produced by the Hannah Arendt Center at Bard College, this podcast offers close readings of Arendt's books alongside engaging interviews and thought-provoking conversations. Released weekly, each episode provides listeners with a deeper understanding of Arendt's philosophy and its relevance to contemporary issues. Available on all major podcast platforms, listeners join us on a captivating intellectual journey through the mind of Hannah Arendt. New episodes every Friday morning! Join Roger Berkowit…