The Reith Lectures

BBC Radio 4

4.3 (148)
SOCIETY & CULTURE
UPDATED BIWEEKLY

Significant international thinkers deliver the BBC's flagship annual lecture series

12/16/2025

4. Fighting for Humanity in the Age of the Machine.

Rutger Bregman's 2025 Reith Lectures, called "Moral Revolution", explore the moral decay and un-seriousness of today's elites, drawing historical parallels to past eras of corruption that preceded transformative movements especially the 19th Century campaign to abolish slavery. In his series, he argues that small, committed groups can spark moral revolutions, emphasizing the importance of perseverance and long-term vision. In this fourth and final lecture, he zooms out to reflect on humanity’s strange historical trajectory, warning of the existential risks posed by unchecked tech and AI. He urges privileged individuals to take on an active role in shaping a better future. The Reith Lectures are presented by Anita Anand who chairs a Q & A. The programme was recorded in front of an audience at Stanford University in Silicon Valley, USA. The researcher was James Bonney and the series is produced by Jim Frank. The Editor is Clare Fordham. The programmes are mixed by Neil Churchill.

57 min
12/09/2025

3. A conspiracy of decency

Dutch historian Rutger Bregman's 2025 Reith Lectures, called "Moral Revolution", explore the moral decay and un-seriousness of today's elites. He argues that small, committed groups can spark moral revolutions, emphasizing the importance of perseverance and long-term vision. In this third of four lectures, Bregman argues for a new "realist utopia," calling for people to join what he labels" a conspiracy of decency." He says that in the face of rapid technological change, we need to promote ideas like Universal Basic Income, fairer taxation and responsible tech regulation. The Reith Lectures are presented by Anita Anand who chairs a Q & A. The programme was recorded in front of an audience in Edinburgh. The series is produced by Jim Frank. The Editor is Clare Fordham. The programmes are mixed by Neil Churchill.

57 min
12/02/2025

2. How to start a moral revolution

Dutch historian Rutger Bregman gives the second of his 2025 Reith Lectures, called "Moral Revolution." History, he says can be "a reservoir of hope." He outlines how small groups of people have changed the course of history such as Elizabeth Fry, who brought compassion into the prison system; Emmeline Pankhurst and the suffragettes who won the vote for women and Norman Borlaug, whose Green Revolution saved millions from famine. And he argues that this is as relevant now as it ever was: that small groups of committed citizens can still change the world. The Reith Lectures are presented by Anita Anand and the programme was recorded in front of an audience in Liverpool, who asked questions afterwards. The series is produced by Jim Frank. The Editor is Clare Fordham. The programmes are mixed by Neil Churchill.

58 min
11/25/2025

1. A Time of Monsters

Rutger Bregman's 2025 Reith Lectures, called "Moral Revolution", explore the moral decay and un-seriousness of today's elites, drawing historical parallels to past eras of corruption that preceded transformative movements especially the 19th Century campaign to abolish slavery. In his series, he argues that small, committed groups can spark moral revolutions, emphasizing the importance of perseverance and long-term vision. Bregman advocates for a new "realist utopia" in the face of rapid technological change, promoting ideas like Universal Basic Income, fairer taxation and responsible tech regulation. Finally, he zooms out to reflect on humanity’s strange historical trajectory, warning of the existential risks posed by unchecked AI and urging privileged individuals to take on an active role in shaping a better future. The Reith Lectures are presented by Anita Anand who chairs a Q & A. The programme was recorded in front of an audience in London. The series is produced by Jim Frank. The Editor is Clare Fordham. The programmes are mixed by Neil Churchill.

58 min
11/25/2025

Moral Maze debate: Rutger Bregman’s call for a moral revolution

The Dutch historian Rutger Bregman, whose BBC Reith Lectures start this week, is calling for a moral revolution to change our societies for the better, charting how small groups of committed people – abolitionists, suffragettes, and temperance activists – have brought about positive social change. Politics, Bregman argues, is in trouble in an age of apathy and backsliding democracy: “The moral rot runs deep across elite institutions of every stripe”, he says, “if the right is defined by its shameless corruption, then liberals answer with a paralyzing cowardice”. So where might our moral salvation come? What are the deep values that underpin our contrasting political worldviews – left and right – and which should we look to prioritise now? Does any part of the political spectrum have the greatest claim to morality? Chair: Michael Buerk Panel: Matthew Taylor, James Orr, Mona Siddiqui and Tim Stanley. Witnesses: Tim Montgomerie, Eleanor Penny, Joanna Williams, Paul Mason Producer: Dan Tierney.

57 min
12/17/2024

Can we change violent minds?

In her final lecture, the forensic psychiatrist Dr Gwen Adshead, assesses how we deal with violent offenders and asks is it time for a re-think? The UK has more than 70 people on whole life tariffs, at incredible expense – all to appease a sense of revenge, she says. Dr Adshead assesses the effectiveness and impact of therapeutic interventions with offenders in prisons. And she asks if the public needs to change their minds about violent perpetrators. The programme is recorded in Bergen, Norway – a country which has a long tradition of rehabilitating violent offenders. The Reith Lectures are presented and chaired by Anita Anand. Producer: Jim Frank Editor: Clare Fordham Sound Engineer: Neil Churchill Production Coordinator: Brenda Brown Additional Research by James Bonney and Debbie Richford

58 min
12/10/2024

Does Trauma Cause Violence?

How best do we understand how to manage powerful emotions such as rage, fear and shame? With very rare access, Forensic Psychiatrist Dr Gwen Adshead gives her third Reith Lecture inside HMP Grendon, where she talks to prisoners and staff, and asks the question: “Does trauma cause violence?” Does being a victim of violence in some circumstances make you more likely to become a perpetrator of violence? Was WH Auden right when he wrote in 1939 ‘Those to whom evil is done do evil in return’? The Reith Lectures are presented and chaired by Anita Anand. Producer: Jim Frank Editor: Clare Fordham

58 min
12/03/2024

Aren't they all evil?

In her second Reith Lecture, Dr Gwen Adshead asks if there’s such a thing as “evil.”? In a career spanning nearly 40 years the forensic psychiatrist has heard many of her patients ask: “ I have done evil things but does that make me evil.”? Dr Adshead says that we have often confused “evil” with mental illness. She argues that we all have capacity for “evil” and says we need to find ways to cultivate societal and individual “goodness.” The programme is recorded at the V&A in Dundee in front of an audience. The Reith Lectures are presented and chaired by Anita Anand. Producer: Jim Frank Editor: Clare Fordham

58 min

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Fiona Hill

Guest
Darren McGarvey

Guest
Rowan Williams

Guest
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Guest
Stuart J. Russell

Guest

4.3

out of 5

148 Ratings

Inspired Speech

12/09/2015

Xingfu Tang

I have read all the papers written by these human's paramout intellectuals that made me think where the future lies and where I will go and How to make a better life for myself and others I even didn't know,thanks deeply for these kind people who moved this world forward unrentlessly and continuously.
CENSORSHIP FROM BBC!?!?!

11/25/2025

P.TwoBears

Disgraceful that you would censor Rutger Braman’s recent lectures. The things he said about Donald Trump are literally nothing but the trace. How dare you chop up and edit what he said? People are free to disagree with him – but we are not free to disagree with him if you don’t give us that option. Shame on you and this one star will stay here until you quit COMPLYING IN ADVANCE. It’s bad enough that the United States of America has capitulated to the current regime. But what is the possible explanation for that flimsiness of moral courage to spread to England?
Mark Carney

12/15/2020

Comendadordehoje

I have loved listening to the Reith lectures over the years and they have been fantastic, so I have to say that Mark Carney doesn’t even deserve the one star I gave it. Anyone in a professional position should not have to read a lecture, much less an incoherent one. It’s excruciatingly non-sensical and dull. Thank you.
Beautiful Ideas and Beautiful Voices

04/30/2020

Jun Chen in May

This channel is among my favorites for it provokes my mind from a variety of perspectives and sometimes it stimulates my appetite for books and more books. Oh, the physical world is too small to contain the vast reservoir of thought! Thank you, BBC. You are the beacon for those lost souls.