Professor Jonathan Hopkin and Dr David Woodruff

Democracy and capitalism have had a complex and often conflictual relationship, shown recently in political upheaval amid the lingering aftermath of the global financial crisis of 2008.

Market liberalism appears increasingly inadequate as a formula for managing tensions between capitalism’s necessary inequality and democracy’s characteristic demand for redistribution.

This course offers a comprehensive introduction to how these tensions have developed in the rich market economies of the world, especially North America and Europe. You will investigate why some are more unequal than others, and how they have responded to the economic and political crises of the early 21st century. Key areas of enquiry include the distribution of income and wealth, the politics of taxation, public spending and welfare, the role of voting and elections, the politics of money, banking and financial crisis, and the rise of populism and political instability.

By the end of this topical and engaging course you will have acquired a deeper understanding of the political, social, and economic forces that shape modern society. You will also have cultivated an ability to analyse events from different perspectives understanding their relationship to one another.