Bernie’s Version

Last Saturday, Bernie Sanders came to the Salone del Libro in Turin, the largest book fair in Italy and the most participated book event in Europe, for what became the biggest and most anticipated talk of this year’s edition: almost two thousand people came to hear Sanders in conversation with Francesco Costa, editor-in-chief at il Post, host of Wilson and curator of the fair’s Information programme. Sanders was there to present Contro l’oligarchia (Fight Oligarchy, Chiarelettere), the Italian edition of his book-manifesto about the growing power of billionaires and big tech companies.

In this episode of Wilson, we listen to the full conversation in English. Sanders explains why he believes Donald Trump does not speak for most Americans, and why oligarchy has become one of the defining problems of Western democracies. He talks about artificial intelligence not as something to stop, but as something politics must learn to govern; and he says Ukraine’s resistance must continue to be funded, supported and armed. We also discuss what Democrats got wrong, what it would take to defeat Trump, what it means to be progressive today, Gaza, Netanyahu, Putin, and the future of the American left.

Thanks to the Salone del Libro and Chiarelettere.