4.3 The Revolt of the Public - Readings

Wednesday, April 8, 2020

Readings:

• Gurri (2018 [2014]), The Revolt of the Public: And the Crisis of Authority in the New Milennium, Chs. 1,3
• OR
• Economics Detective Radio: “The Revolt of the Public with Martin Gurri”

Martin Gurri was a media analyst for the CIA that wrote this book in 2014 that explained (and predicted) a lot of the chaos of our era (economic, political, and social). This is one of my favorite books of the 2010s, and one of the most insightful explanations of the chaos of our era. I am not alone in thinking thatJust google “Revolt of the Public” and witness the results.

It has been hard to try to find a good summary article of the book other than a zillion interviews and podcasts Gurri has done about the book.

I decided to give you two chapters of the (updated 2018 version) book itselfwhich is very readable, and I must say one of the most physically beautiful books I own, and affordable too!

or alternatively the Economics Detective podcast is a good relatively short summary.But really, I think you’d find the book interesting.

If you opt for the reading, read Chapter 1 for sure, and if you want to get a little more into Gurri’s hypothesis, read Chapter 3.

Optional Helpful Readings:

• Gurri (2020), “Revolt, Populism, and Reaction”, Mercatus Center

The optional Mercatus link is a reasonably good summary applied to political upheaval, but he doesn’t cover everything.

Tips and Questions to Read For:

• How does Gurri (and Walter Lippmann) define “the public?”

• How does Gurri define “authority?” Or “legitimacy?”

• What is “the fifth wave?”

• How does the public’s access to information affect elites and “industrial” institutions?

• What unites the public today? What does the public “want”?

• How does Gurri’s thesis help explain…the Arab Spring? Brexit (and the bumbling response to Brexit)? the election of Donald Trump? the rise of progressive figures like Elizabeth Warren, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Bernie Sanders? the rise of populist leaders around the world?Trump in the U.S., Johnson in Britain, Orbán in Hungary, Duterte in the Philippines, Salvini in Italy, Modi in India, Obrador in Mexico, Bolsonaro in Brazil
  
  the Yellow Vest movement in France? anti-government protests around the world in 2019In Hong Kong, France, Spain, Chile, Colombia, Lebanon, Bolivia
  
  ?