The news cycle says crisis; history says pattern. We sit down with political philosopher and lecturer Gerhard Wolmarans to test whether our moment is truly exceptional or simply another liminal passage where the old order fades and the new hasn’t yet taken shape. From Rome to Mali, the Glorious to the French Revolution, Gerhard traces how change arrives—sometimes as a flood, sometimes as a slow thaw—and why the health of politics often decides whether societies reform or fracture.

We dig into the mechanics that keep a country steady: a capable state that can actually deliver, the rule of law that binds even rulers, and real democratic accountability that keeps power from curdling. Along the way, we wrestle with Aristotle’s timeless challenge: people want the good life, but cooperation at scale is hard—especially in diverse, mobile, secular societies where shared moral anchors are less obvious. Gerhard argues that wise leadership starts with reading context accurately, learning from the past without chronological snobbery, and prioritising with moral clarity.

Then we zoom out to the big board: shifting demographics, the staying power of the US, the ascent of China and India, a growing Africa, and a likely future that’s plural rather than dominated by a single hegemon. Layer on AI and robotics—threatening both specialised cognitive work and manual labour—and the stakes sharpen. Gerhard's bottom line is simple and demanding: centre human dignity, acknowledge human complexity, and build institutions that tame power and enable flourishing. If we get that right, a liminal age becomes a launchpad, not a cliff.

Enjoyed the conversation? Follow and share the show, leave a review, and tell us: which historical lesson do we most need to relearn today?

Reach out to Gerhard Wolmarans on the University of Pretoria staff page.

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