What if the ghosts of history are walking among us again? In this fiery, unscripted conversation between economist Yanis Varoufakis and comedian Frankie Boyle, the pair dissect the eerie return of fascism, the failures of the modern left, and the cynical rise of leaders who call themselves saviors.
Varoufakis draws chilling parallels between 1929 and 2008 — between Mussolini’s Italy and Trump’s America — exposing how financial collapse, betrayal, and political emptiness create the perfect storm for authoritarian revival. Frankie Boyle punctures the darkness with sharp, dark humor as they unpack Labour’s moral collapse, Starmer’s “racism light,” and the £34 billion gift to bankers that defines today’s politics.
Equal parts history lesson and political autopsy, this talk will leave you questioning who really governs — and why they keep getting away with it. This isn’t just a conversation; it’s a reckoning with the future of democracy itself.
Event description:
Join the legendary economist and former finance minister of Greece, Yanis Varoufakis, for a powerful tale of resistance and political awakening: a beacon of hope for dark times.
The motorcycle riding Marxist finance minister became a worldwide icon of the Left when he stood up to the EU during the Greek Debt Crisis, and today he is both the founder of the European grassroots political movement DiEM25 and one of the most exhilarating radical thinkers we have, equally adept at skewering the Big Tech oligarchy and sharing bold and provocative new visions of a just and equal world.
He joins to explore how the great forces of history shape us – and how the resilience and courage of his family, from his mother Eleni to his partner Danae, inspired him on his political journey. In conversation across the UK, with special guest interviewer Frankie Boyle, he will share both an intimate portrait of his political awakening and offer a thrilling sweep through Greece’s history – from Nazi occupation and communist partisan resistance, to civil war, fascist dictatorship, and tumultuous present-day economic collapse.
Don’t miss this powerful, personal tale of struggle and endurance from one of the most iconic leaders of our time.
Yanis Varoufakis is an economist, political leader and the author of numerous bestselling books: Talking to My Daughter: A Brief History of Capitalism; Technofeudalism: What Killed Capitalism, which shows how the owners of big tech have become the world’s feudal overlords; Adults in the Room, a memoir of his time as finance minister of Greece; an economic history of Europe, And The Weak Suffer What They Must?; and Another Now: Dispatches from An Alternative Present. Born in Athens in 1961, he was for many years a professor of economics in Britain, Australia and the USA before he entered politics. He is co-founder of the international grassroots movement DiEM25 and a Professor of Economics at the University of Athens.
Frankie Boyle is one of The UK’s premier comedians and writers. Known for his shows New World Order (BBC2), Tramadol Nights (Ch4) and his best selling DVD’s and Netflix Special. Frankie has penned 3 best selling books. In 2018 Frankie wrote and presented the highly acclaimed documentary Frankie Goes To Russia for the BBC previewing the forthcoming Russian World Cup. Frankie also regularly contributes articles for the broadsheet press. He has topped the podcast charts with the first three volumes of his eight volume Promethiad sequence.
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