The Long View

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BBC Radio 4 LW

Factual: History

History series in which stories from the past shed light on current events

Jonathan Freedland presents the series in which stories from the past are compared with current events.

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The Long View: Political Comebacks

Political Comebacks

BBC Radio 4 - The Long View, Political Comebacks

Jonathan Freedland takes the long view of political leaders making a comeback.

Jonathan Freedland takes the long view of political leaders making a comeback. Comparing Donald Trump with Justinian II from 7th century and the US President Grover Cleveland.

Jonathan Freedland sheds light on current events through stories from the past.

As Donald Trump announces he's running for President a second time Jonathan takes the Long View of political leaders who made a comeback. The 7th century Byzantine Emperor Justinian II generated enormous opposition during his first reign from 685 to 695 with unfair tax rises, military defeats and ultimately ordering mass murder in Constantinople. He was overthrown, had his nose cut off by way of punishment and banished in exile to modern day Kherson, in Ukraine. Now known as 'Slit Nose' he declared he would become emperor again and slipped back into Constantinople with a military consort and retook power. He then embarked on an even more despotic and bloodthirsty reign meting out vengeance on his enemies past and present, until his own life was brought to a violent end, abandoned by his troops. 

And the only US President to ever gain office in two non consecutive terms, Grover Cleveland. In the 1880's and 1890's, the Democrat won each time on tight margins. Although he was seen as a hard working, upstanding politician of probity, scandal surrounding extra-marital relations and I child out of wedlock dogged his presidential campaign. He declared 'Reform!' on the bloated Civil Service but when the vote went against him after his first term he vowed to his support base that he may have lost the battle, but not the war and he would be back. Four years later, he was. But the second term was even less successful than the first. 

With Professor Adam Smith from Oxford University and Associate Professor Rebecca Darley from University of Leeds

Readings by David Hounslow, Chloe Sommer and Roger Ringrose

Producer Neil McCarthy

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