大象传媒

We're told the pandemic is our Second World War. Is it? With the help of leading historians, documentary-maker Phil Tinline explores what the shock of 1940 reveals about how crisis can transform politics - by changing how we see our recent past.

In 1940, the shock of external attack forced the government to think the unthinkable. The size of the state, and the deficit, ballooned. All this cast the 1930s in a harsh new light.

At the time, the suffering of millions of British people as a result of unemployment was seen by many people as a tragedy the government could do little to fix. Those who suggested the government intervene on a large scale were politely dismissed.

But now, the government was borrowing and spending like there was no tomorrow, for fear of defeat by Hitler.

And that meant mass unemployment now looked like a great wrong which could have been properly addressed. The generation of politicians who let it happen were utterly discredited.

It became a given that mass unemployment must never be allowed to happen again - and this new taboo underpinned post-war British politics for decades.

So - is anything like this happening as a result of the impact of Covid? And how does Brexit complicate the picture?

Contributors include: Alan Allport, Matthew Brown, Diane Coyle, David Davis, David Edgerton, Steven Fielding, James Frayne, Maurice Glasman and Giles Wilkes

Presenter/ Producer: Phil Tinline

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