Brown's new book links local community decay to global populism
Gordon Brown's new book argues that global crises are rooted in the erosion of local community bonds and that voters secretly desire a return to a more stable, benevolent world. He critiques neoliberal failures and calls for rebuilding civic ties to counter populism. The book combines moral arguments with a hopeful vision for collective action.
Brown's previous collaborative work, *Permacrisis*, was written with economists Mohammed El-Erian and Michael Spence. His new book follows his earlier roles leading the 2008 financial crisis response and advocating global pandemic cooperation. The book reportedly draws on commissioned polling suggesting voters secretly desire a return to 2000s-era stability, despite repeatedly voting for the opposite.
The book acknowledges that past community cohesion often depended on unpaid domestic labor by women. It links declining membership in clubs, unions, churches, and community groups to the rise of populist politics in struggling post-industrial towns, arguing that domestic social breakdown and international fragmentation should be understood as connected phenomena rather than separate crises.
This book could influence how policymakers on the left frame responses to populism, shifting focus from purely economic remedies toward civic rebuilding. Communities experiencing social isolation and economic decline may find their grievances validated, while critics could question whether nostalgia for past stability adequately addresses contemporary challenges. The book's reception may shape Labour's approach to community policy and international cooperation.