The John Batchelor Show

Conquest and the Legacy of the Ulster Plantation. Guest: Patrick Scanlan. Batchelor and Scanlan trace the historical roots of land ownership in Ireland back to the conquests of Elizabeth I and Oliver Cromwell . Scanlan uses Shirley Castle in County Monaghan as an emblem of this era, noting the family were descendants of the Earl of Essex who received the land during the Ulster Plantation. The cast...

The Fragile Three-Legged Stool of Irish Agriculture. Guest: Patrick Scanlan. The discussion explores the specific mechanics of 19th-century Irish agriculture, which Scanlan describes as a "three-legged stool" of the potato, the pig, and turf fuel. The potato acted as the "glue" for a system that was surprisingly productive; Ireland was a major agricultural exporter of beef, pork, and oats to Great...

The Ghost Story of Skibbereen and Queen Victoria. Guest: Patrick Scanlan. John Batchelor introduces Professor Patrick Scanlan to discuss the Great Famine and its impact on the millions who fled to America . The conversation begins with a "ghost story" involving Queen Victoria and the village of Skibbereen , which became an icon of the disaster after a journalist reported scenes of utter social col...

Nick Lloyd. Guest Nick Lloyd concludes with the American entry under General John J. Pershing in June 1917. Pershing arrived without an army but adamantly resisted "amalgamation," the Allied demand to fold American troops into French and British units. Lloyd explains that Pershing insisted on maintaining a semi-independent force, despite the desperate pleas of leaders like Lloyd George during the...

Nick Lloyd. Guest Nick Lloyd analyzes the "twinned" horrors of 1916: Verdun and the Somme . He explains Falkenhayn 's ruthless strategy at Verdun, which was designed purely to "bleed the French white" through industrial-scale killing. In response, the British launched the Somme offensive to relieve the pressure, leading to a famous strategic dispute between Douglas Haig 's desire for a breakthroug...

Nick Lloyd. Guest Nick Lloyd explores the strategic impasse of late 1915, specifically during the Second Battle of Champagne . He notes that both Joffre and Falkenhayn began to realize that traditional breakthroughs were becoming impossible, yet commanders remained reluctant to abandon the dream of decisive maneuver. Lloyd describes trench warfare not as a siege, but as a "constant evolution" wher...

Nick Lloyd. Guest Nick Lloyd recounts the high-stakes drama of the 1914 German invasion, focusing on the pivotal Battle of the Marne . He describes the near-destruction of the British Expeditionary Force and the internal conflict between Kitchener and Sir John French , where Kitchener had to personally intervene to prevent a British retreat that might have shattered the alliance. On the German sid...

Nick Lloyd. Guest Nick Lloyd examines the British entry into the war, characterizing it as a gradual process hampered by friction between key leaders like Prime Minister Asquith , Lord Kitchener , and Sir John French . Initially, the British sent a tiny expeditionary force of just four divisions, which the French viewed with constant hunger for more manpower. Lloyd details the massive expansion of...

Nick Lloyd. Guest Nick Lloyd discusses the French defense, starting with General Joseph Joffre , a steady "engineer" who saved France at the Marne by maintaining his nerve when his German counterpart collapsed. The conversation explores the intricate relationship between French military and political leaders, including President Raymond Poincaré , who worked to reassert political authority over th...

Nick Lloyd. Guest Nick Lloyd delves into the German high command, highlighting the psychological burden on Helmuth von Moltke the Younger , who felt inadequate compared to his famous uncle. Moltke's lack of nerve led him to fatally alter the Schlieffen Plan 's right wing, eventually causing his nervous breakdown as the invasion stalled. Lloyd describes Kaiser Wilhelm II as an inconsistent "weather...

Nick Lloyd. Guest Nick Lloyd discusses his ambition to provide a comprehensive narrative of the Western Front , emphasizing it as a massive coalition war involving multiple empires. He explains his focus on the operational level of senior commanders, aiming to challenge the persistent "lions led by donkeys" myth. By examining the immense pressures and dilemmas faced by leadership, Lloyd hopes to o...

Adrian Wooldridge concludes by recommending a "remoralization" of meritocracy, where those with talent view their abilities as a public duty rather than just a source of personal reward. He warns against abandoning objective testing (like the SAT ), arguing that lotteries or subjective admissions are more "gameable" by the privileged. Finally, he stresses that the West must purify its meritocratic...

Adrian Wooldridge analyzes the populist revolt against meritocracy, seen in Brexit and the election of Donald Trump . Populists argue that "experts" lack common sense and have become an arrogant, self-satisfied elite. Critics like Christopher Lasch contend that this elite has betrayed democracy by turning against traditional values. A "degenerate version" of meritocracy has emerged through assorta...

Adrian Wooldridge revisits the historical origins of hierarchy, noting that for most of human history, family connections and dynasties were the organizing principles of society. The concept of the Great Chain of Being suggested that everyone had a divinely ordained place, a notion reflected in the works of Shakespeare . This system placed biological entities, like kings, at the center of social o...

Adrian Wooldridge examines the mid-20th-century backlash against meritocracy. Michael Young , who coined the term, warned that a "perfect" meritocracy would create an intolerable society where the successful feel superior and the unsuccessful have no social excuse for their position. Left-wing critics like Lancelot Hogben argued that IQ tests merely measured privilege rather than innate nature. Ad...

Adrian Wooldridge highlights the historical blindness toward women's talent among 19th-century reformers who excluded them from competitive examinations. However, the meritocratic logic of objective measurement eventually provided women with the tools to challenge these exclusions. A pivotal moment occurred when Philippa Fawcett outperformed the top male mathematicians at Cambridge . The World War...

Adrian Wooldridge discusses how the 19th-century search for talent was shaped by utilitarianism and liberal reforms. Reformers like John Stuart Mill remained suspicious of the masses, seeking to replace the landed aristocracy with an "aristocracy of talent." This led to the development of psychometrics and standardized IQ testing, exemplified by the 11-plus examination in Britain , designed to all...

Adrian Wooldridge notes that while pre-modern governance relied on patronage and nepotism, kings often appointed "lowly-born men" of extraordinary ability, like Thomas Cromwell , to ensure stability. Napoleon emerged as a transitional figure, embodying a "career open to talent" while simultaneously reinventing monarchical personas. In the 18th century, French philosophers championed "genius" or br...

Adrian Wooldridge explains that for most of history, society was defined by a hierarchical presumption where individuals were born into "proper stations." This Great Chain of Being posited that social and natural orders were divinely ordained; disrupting this hierarchy was believed to cause chaos and natural disasters. Royal dynasties served as the central organizing principle, yet they were inher...

Molly Beer. Guest Molly Beer covers Angelica's return to America for Washington 's inauguration, where she found political reality more complicated than her romanticized memories. After returning permanently in 1797, she faced immense personal loss, including the deaths of her family and Alexander Hamilton . Beer describes how Angelica "expeditioned" 450 miles into the wilderness to help her son f...

Molly Beer. Guest Molly Beer follows the family to Europe , where John Carter reclaims his identity as John Barker Church . Settling in London 's Mayfair , Angelica navigated high society while remaining a fierce American patriot. Beer highlights Angelica's role as a social bridge, hosting luminaries like Lafayette and the Adams family. She became part of the "blue stocking" movement, a circle of...

Molly Beer. Guest Molly Beer explores Angelica's resilience during the Revolutionary War , noting she rejoined the army at Yorktown weeks after childbirth. Beer details Alexander Hamilton 's marriage to her sister Elizabeth , explaining how Angelica helped the status-seeking Hamilton integrate into their powerful family. Beer shares her personal connection to Angelica, New York , a town founded by...

Molly Beer. Guest Molly Beer introduces Angelica Schuyler , born in 1755 to a powerful Dutch family in Albany . Beer discusses "The Pastures," the Schuyler mansion designed and managed by Angelica's mother, Catherine . Unlike most 18th-century women, Angelica received a formal education, a Dutch practice valuing women's business capabilities. Beer notes Angelica's transition from her Dutch identit...

Portland's Business Struggles and Las Vegas's SCHEDULE JBS 6-19-2026. 1900 LA Growth. Guest: Jeff Bliss. High taxes and progressive policies in Portland are driving a corporate exodus, including Under Armour , as business districts empty. Conversely, Las Vegas is thriving, highlighted by the opening of a massive four-story In-N-Out on the Strip. The segment also covers California 's proposed wealt...

STREAMING MAKING OF JBS, FEATURING JEFF BLISS AND MICHAEL VLAHOS, 6-19, 2026. 1903 LA CHINATOWN This discussion explores the political and economic shifts currently reshaping the West Coast , specifically the growing influence of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) within the Democratic Party. The speakers analyze how progressive policies and high taxes in cities like Portland and states li...