Nervous States

In his thought-provoking work, political economist William Davies explores a 400-year history of ideas to examine how emotional factors, particularly fear and anxiety, have come to dominate contemporary society. He argues that this shift has led to the emergence of "nervous states" both individually and politically. By tracing the evolution of expertise, statistics, and scientific understanding from the Enlightenment, Davies highlights how these developments originally aimed to establish consensus and order amid conflict, while also addressing the psychological and economic forces reshaping modern politics and societal organization.