The Forge with Harrison Pitt | Ep. 16: Why Liberals Turned Totalitarian | Carl Benjamin

In this episode, Harrison sits down with Carl Benjamin, also known under the pseudonym Sargon of Akkad. Over the course of an hour they debate how classical liberalism went from desiring a world of ‘live and let live’ to a regime of forced equality. Is ‘wokeness’ the natural consequence of classical liberalism or an historical mutation of classical liberalism? Carl makes the case that liberal ideology leads logically to an egalitarian dystopia; Harrison, though not a liberal himself, argues that classical liberalism can easily be detached from its historical dalliance with ‘woke’ activism. Produced by The European Conservative, The Forge is a monthly programme which aims to revive the art of Socratic dialogue and intellectual combat at a time when, across the legacy institutions of the Western world, vulgar sophistry and intolerant conformism appear to reign supreme. Presented by Harrison Pitt, a senior editor at The European Conservative, The Forge will be a place for thoroughgoing discussion and fearless debate with the world's finest thinkers on a range of subjects, from philosophy and current affairs to history and culture. As the name suggests, it should also enable us to build up our armoury and sharpen our weapons as we engage in a war for our civilisation. 0:00 - Intro 0:15 - Monologue 01:00 - Carl Benjamin’s Journey Away From Classical Liberalism 06:00 - Debate: How Did Liberalism Go From ‘Live and Let Live’ to Forced Equality?