The US Head of State combines the roles of symbol of the state, chief executive, prime ministerial figure, and commander in chief of the military, while in the UK, the Queen Elizabeth II is generally respected as a symbol of the state.
The speaker discusses how historical figures such as Winston Churchill and the founding fathers of America are important to the cultural identities of their respective countries, as they represent a sense of goodness and resilience in the face of adversity.
The discussion revolves around how a family's upbringing has a profound impact on the military leaders of a country, even if they are not inherently suited for it. The speaker argues that if one had been given a way out without resulting in eternal shame, he would not have become a military leader.
The role of the state in capitalism is to be the ultimate guarantor, and the working class must rely on the state to protect capitalism. Reformist strategies aim to secure power through the state, as evidenced by theorist Edward Bernstein in Germany.
The speaker reflects on how emotions impact decision making and shares an example from a movie where they were unaware of the connection between intelligence agencies in the United States and Canada.
The criticism towards previous American Presidents lies in the fact they were expected to be a perfect representation of human ideals. This podcast discusses the concept of putting the President on a pedestal and how it creates a fake human being.