Braver New World

'At a time when politics and government feel so broken in so many parts of the world, this is a dose of optimism amid the gloom; stunning examples of people and places where courage has led to real change for the better.' Alastair Campbell





At a time when democracies seem paralyzed by fear and populations are turning inward, award-winning journalist John Kampfner travels to ten countries confronting our shared challenges with bravery and imagination.





In Japan, he discovers inter-generational care homes ensuring dignity in later life - while Britain ducks the social care question. He visits Vienna's century-old housing projects where 60% of residents live in subsidised accommodation without stigma and communities thrive. Taiwan's health system achieves 90% patient satisfaction at a fraction of the cost of the NHS. From Moroccan solar panels in the Sahara producing enough clean energy to power two million homes to Finnish classrooms preparing children for an uncertain world that Britain's teaching-to-the-test system cannot match - Kampfner introduces us to the people making radical change happen.





These aren't utopias. But what unites them is a refusal to accept that difficult problems are unsolvable. The countries showing true innovation are often those with their backs against the wall - not wealthy nations assuming they have all the answers. Braver New World is an urgent reminder that solutions exist. The question is whether we have the courage to learn.



JOHN KAMPFNER is an award-winning author, broadcaster, foreign-affairs commentator and conference speaker. He began his career reporting from East Berlin (during the fall of the Wall) and Moscow (during the collapse of communism) for the Telegraph. After covering British politics for the FT and BBC, he edited the New Statesman. He has been Chair of several organizations. He is a regular TV and radio pundit, documentary maker and author of seven previous books, including the bestselling Blair's Wars. Why the Germans Do it Better, published in 2020 was a Top 10 bestseller and Book of the Year in the Guardian, Economist and New Statesman, and sold over 150,000 copies in all editions. His most recent book, In Search of Berlin, was longlisted for the Ondaatje Prize.



Liberal democracy is in crisis, and John Kampfner, one of our foremost public intellectuals, has once again forced us to think profoundly about what to do about it... This is solutions-based authorship at its best.



At a time when politics and government feel so broken in so many parts of the world, this is a dose of optimism amid the gloom; stunning examples of people and places where courage has led to real change for the better.



Economic stagnation and social fracturing are not the irreversible fate of developed economies like the UK. John Kampfner has searched for answers by scouring the world for what works, from Taiwan to Finland to Costa Rica. Read this book as an antidote to fatalism and gloom.



When too many despair at our ability to solve our biggest problems, Braver New World arrives to show us what governments - and people - can achieve. Ranging from the snows of Finland to the goat farms of southern India, it is closely reported, surprising and, above all, hopeful. I hope every maker of policy - and decisions - reads it.



Fascinating... The big question of our time is whether mainstream politics can work. John Kampfner believes it can, and shows us many ways that it does.



By exploring how other countries are tackling seemingly insoluble problems, John Kampfner has provided an alternative to the politics of manufactured outrage. A thought-provoking and ultimately hopeful read, full of real ideas that could make Britain a better place.



John Kampfner is a professional pessimist who has conquered his inner demons to find inspiring stories from all over the world that show how we really can turn things round in the UK. What's even better is that they are usually places that have faced even bigger challenges than us. A must-read for Keir Starmer and anyone hoping to take over from him.



This remarkable book explores what works in the pursuit of solving the problems that lie at the heart of the public policy debate. From our ageing population to the challenges of our environment, it explains what has been done and, more importantly, how and why. A must read for anyone interested in how we tackle the problems of education, heath & social care, and homelessness.



In an era of selfish, transactional, anxious politics we are grasping for hope. This book delivers it again and again and again. Many books describe the challenge. Kampfner takes it on. The fightback for reason, policy and wisdom starts here.



A persuasive and imaginative argument against the gloom of our times



Kampfner's analysis is simply peerless.



John Kampfner - curious, sceptical and with an eye for the arresting detail - is the ideal guide.



Astonishingly optimistic and realistic at the same time. A fascinating, encouraging read, which offers new realms of hope without ever straying beyond what's actually possible.