Morbid Symptoms: An Anatomy of a World in Crisis

The deadly coronavirus spread across societies already riddled with political ills, including rampant xenophobia and corruption, privatization run amok, Brexiter vainglory of a global Britain, and in America, the unspeakable Trump. In this blistering polemic, historian Donald Sassoon paints an unforgettable picture of our galloping descent into political barbarism, mixing blunt exposé and classical references with an astonishing array of data. He refuses to abandon the optimism of the will, recalling a line from Machiavelli's Istorie fiorentine: "Do not impute past disorders to the nature of the men, but to the times, which, being changed, give reasonable ground to hope that, with better government, our city will have better fortune in the future."

Format: Hardback
Length: 304 pages
Publication date: 02 March 2021
Publisher: Verso Books

The deadly coronavirus has spread rapidly across societies already grappling with a range of political challenges. These challenges include widespread xenophobia, corruption, rampant privatization, a sense of Brexiter vainglory about a global Britain, and the unspeakable Trump in America. As noted by the acclaimed historian Donald Sassoon in this scorching polemic, there were numerous morbid symptoms evident.

Sassoon vividly portrays our swift descent into political barbarism, blending blunt exposé with classical allusions and an array of data. He questions why the United States, despite being at war, has a higher proportion of civilians owning guns than Yemen. Additionally, he raises concerns about the UK's initial response to the pandemic, with fewer doctors compared to many EU countries, except Poland and Romania.

In his book, Sassoon refuses to give up on what Antonio Gramsci referred to as the optimism of the will. Instead, he draws upon a line from Machiavelli's "Istorie fiorentine": "Do not impute past disorders to the nature of the men, but to the times, which, being changed, give reasonable ground to hope that, with better government, our city will have better fortune in the future."

Through his incisive analysis and compelling storytelling, Sassoon offers a sobering reflection on the state of our world and the urgent need for political change. He challenges us to confront the underlying issues that have contributed to our current predicament and work towards a brighter future.

Weight: 474g
Dimension: 162 x 242 x 28 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781839761454