Three lessons for South Africa from Mamdani’s election
The cheerleading and the pearl-clutching in some South African circles over Zohran Mamdani’s New York victory are, frankly, a bit odd. We’ve lived for thirty
The meaning of meaning
Life is a search for meaning – the meaning of existence, for instance. But what chance do we have of ever answering the big questions
The astronomical potential of Nelson Mandela Bay
With local elections on the horizon in 2026 and the story mostly being about Johannesburg, I thought it would be good to highlight another metro
Tanzania’s democratic silver lining
The blood-soaked election of Samia Suluhu Hassan as Tanzania’s president with 97% of the vote has come at a high price, with thousands of her
Anti-money laundering: the grand illusion
“The largest, most ineffective bureaucratic apparatus in recorded history” Money laundering rarely manifests so literally, yet in Thailand, police recently discovered millions of Baht hidden
Toilet talk
Glass in hand, Noah is holding forth. Much of what he is saying is accurate – in vino veritas, and all that – but his
Persuasion across identity conflict lines – using the DA’s Economic Inclusion For All Bill as a case study
“Our moral thinking is much more like a politician searching for votes than a scientist searching for truth.” – Jonathan Haidt With the introduction of
Alienated American voters dream of socialism
The consequence of ruling like a crazed sociopath is that it makes the radical socialist opposition look sane and inviting. “Mamdani’s brand of ‘positive politics’
Embracing Machiavelli to Achieve a Liberal Future
This is the text of the 46th Alfred and Winifred Hoernlé Memorial Lecture which I delivered in Johannesburg last evening. Introduction Thank you Dr John
What gave us Mamdani?
Friends of mine in New York, delightful, wildly successful fellows who have about ten jobs each despite none of them boasting an education past the