Disraeli the Romantic
Daisy Hay from Exeter University explores the way in which former prime minister Benjamin Disraeli invented the modern politician as a 'person of feeling'.
Daisy Hay from Exeter University explores the way in which Disraeli invented the modern politician as a man - or woman - of feeling, and asks whether the image he projected as an emotionally in-touch everyman stemmed from fact or fiction?
Politicians talking about their private lives are a commonplace of our age. However, long before it became obligatory for aspiring statesmen and women to be photographed unloading dishwashers and eating sandwiches, Benjamin Disraeli spun a public fantasy about his private life in order to win votes. What lessons does his story have for politicians today ?
Recorded in front of an audience at ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Radio 3's Free Thinking Festival of Ideas at Sage, Gateshead. All the discussions and essays from the Free Thinking festival are available as Radio 3 Arts and Ideas downloads.
Producer: Harry Parker.
Last on
Broadcast
- Thu 6 Nov 2014 22:45ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Radio 3
Discussions and talks from the Free Thinking Festival 2019
Click to listen to discussions, talks and music as the Free Thinking Festival 2019 Gets Emotional
CLICK to LISTEN & SEE programmes from the Free Thinking Festival 2018: The One & the Many
CLICK to LISTEN & SEE all programmes, images, clips & features from 2017's festival
Free Thinking Festival 2017: The Speed of Life