Right Here, Right Now: Politics and Leadership in the Age of Disruption
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Right Here, Right Now: Politics and Leadership in the Age of Disruption Audible Audiobook – Unabridged

Stephen J. Harper (Author, Narrator), McClelland & Stewart (Publisher)
4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 368 ratings
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In this timely and insightful new book, Stephen J. Harper, Canada's 22nd Prime Minister, draws on a decade of experience as a G-7 leader to help leaders in business and government understand, adapt, and thrive in an age of unprecedented disruption.

The world is in flux. Disruptive technologies, ideas, and politicians are challenging business models, norms, and political conventions everywhere. How we, as leaders in business and politics, choose to respond matters greatly. Some voices refuse to concede the need for any change, while others advocate for radical realignment. But neither of these positions can sustainably address the legitimate concerns of disaffected citizens.

Right Here, Right Now sets out a pragmatic, forward-looking vision for leaders in business and politics by analyzing how economic, social, and public policy trends - including globalized movements of capital, goods, and services, and labor - have affected our economies, communities, and governments.

Harper contends that Donald Trump's surprise election and governing agenda clearly signal that political, economic, and social institutions must be more responsive to legitimate concerns about public policy, market regulation, immigration, and technology.

Urging listeners to look past questions of style and gravitas, Harper thoughtfully examines the substantive underpinnings of how and why Donald Trump was able to succeed Barack Obama as President of the United States, and how these forces are manifesting themselves in other western democracies.

Analyzing international trade, market regulation, immigration, technology, and the role of government in the digital economy, Harper lays out the case for pragmatic leadership as a proven solution to the uncertainty and risk that businesses and governments face today.

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  1. Listening Length
    6 hours and 32 minutes
  2. Author
    Stephen J. Harper
  3. Narrator
    Stephen J. Harper
  4. Audible release date
    October 9, 2018
  5. Language
    English
  6. Publisher
    McClelland & Stewart
  7. ASIN
    B07GZCDJBZ
  8. Version
    Unabridged
  9. Program Type
    Audiobook
  10. See all details
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Product details

Listening Length 6 hours and 32 minutes
Author Stephen J. Harper
Narrator Stephen J. Harper
Whispersync for Voice Ready
Audible.com Release Date October 09, 2018
Publisher McClelland & Stewart
Program Type Audiobook
Version Unabridged
Language English
ASIN B07GZCDJBZ
Best Sellers Rank #284,478 in Audible Books & Originals (See Top 100 in Audible Books & Originals)
#137 in Globalization (Audible Books & Originals)
#449 in Economic History (Audible Books & Originals)
#668 in Conservatism & Liberalism

Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
4.6 out of 5
368 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome Book!
Reviewed in the United States on December 14, 2021
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Awesome Book! PM Harper thoughtfully presents that underlying forces that have altered our lives over the past 30 years. Hopefully Populist Conservatism will turn the US around before the Marxists take full control of our society.
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Bill
5.0 out of 5 stars One of the best non-fiction books I've ever read
Reviewed in the United States on April 16, 2019
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Stephen Harper nails it! He covers a lot of the reasons why Brexit passed and Trump won and focuses on a segment of the population that has felt abandoned by politics for the past twenty years and what we should do about it.
I felt like this was a great read and very-opening to those who want to dismiss Brexit & Trump solely on racism, sexism, whatever-ism. Very insightful. Thanks Stephen.
One person found this helpful
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Amazon Customer
4.0 out of 5 stars Great book if you can look at it critically
Reviewed in the United States on July 29, 2020
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Harper's style of writing is really compelling, and his immigration arguments came off as particularly strong. There's a certain amount of self-congratulation in the book. He presented the ideas that carbon emissions are highly price-inelastic and that there's overall downward pressure on low wage-earners' wages as settled, but those are more complicated. Overall, a good, snappy read.
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Cap'n Brad
5.0 out of 5 stars A great read. Excellent insight.
Reviewed in the United States on October 19, 2018
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I love the references back to other world leaders. Reagan was one of my favorites, which is why I liked Stephen Harper so much. This "just the facts" presentation is excellent. I'm going to have to go back and read some of his other books.

We miss you as our Prime Minister! The best we have ever had.
7 people found this helpful
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Julie Ellingboe
5.0 out of 5 stars excellent book
Reviewed in the United States on March 17, 2019
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I highly recommend it, especially for those in the U.S. congress who actually care about the economic well-being of their constituents. I realize that is a minority, but I cling to the hope that there are some who actually realize they don't know it all (or anything actually) and are open-minded enough to learn new things.
One person found this helpful
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M Meikle
5.0 out of 5 stars He nailed it!
Reviewed in the United States on January 5, 2019
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This book resonated with me, due to the dislocation I feel trying to understand the rapid changes in society, the workplace and the world we see today. It has also given me valued insight into how/why the electorate south of the border elected Donald Trump. A very valuable book that should be read by everyone!
3 people found this helpful
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A. Massa
5.0 out of 5 stars I had no idea Harper was such a clear and creative thinker
Reviewed in the United States on April 29, 2019
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Fascinating book full of positive, constructive and forward-looking ideas written by a highly intelligent and accomplished G7 World Leader. I was not expecting to enjoy this book as much as I did
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Douglas Munro
4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Read!
Reviewed in the United States on November 21, 2018
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As a Canadian I never voted for Mr Harper but I would now after reading this book! He was a solid PM, honest, stable and usually right. Wish he was still in politics. The conservatives need him now more than ever.

He shows great depth of understanding. Lucid presentation. Refreshingly straight forward style with no drama or BS. The current global political climate is most troubling. Here is his take on it. Must read.
10 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

Everyday for Life Canada
5.0 out of 5 stars Canada could really use Stephen Harper's leadership
Reviewed in Canada on November 25, 2018
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Will today's populism make conservatism a thing of the past? Does conservatism still matter in an age of globalism, socialism and liberal ideology? Former Conservative prime minister Stephen Harper makes a strong case for conservative principles in his book Right Here, Right Now: Politics and Leadership in an Age of Disruption. Harper describes his conservatism as "reformed democratic capitalism, with renewed working-class opportunity and greater community cohesion,” a “bridge between populism and establishment.” It's a practical conservatism connected to the lives and hopes of the people.

To the surprise of Hollywood, MSM and the elites Donald Trump was elected president of the United States in 2016. It wasn't a surprise to most working Americans. Trump was a disruptor. His successful entry into politics as an outsider was made possible because globalism has left many Americans unemployed. They had become the "have nots." They were left out of the prosperity created by free trade agreements and open markets. This is why many Americans supported the idea of putting America first. Trump made it his campaign theme and won.

Economic disparity, according to Harper, has also sprouted seeds of nationalism, a tribalism about self and country. It's created a divide between the Anywhere and the Somewhere people. Who are the “Somewheres?” They are the regular working-class families who often don’t leave their hometowns, have some education and believe in “localist” values. The dislocation from globalization, such as the loss of manufacturing jobs, has had a great affect on them. On the other hand, the “Anywheres” are the corporate and political elites. These global elites could be living in New York City, London or Singapore. It's all the same. A passport and citizenship are only a means to travel. These individuals have little attachment to a local community and have the luxury to think global.

Harper argues that trade deals and negotiations must work for both the Somewheres and the Anywheres. Markets are what make an economy work, but it must succeed for the majority of the citizens. If profits and goals are for ends in themselves, then it's likely that over time they will be citizenry discontent and even unrest. This is what we witnessed in 2008 with the financial crisis. The American government decided to bailout big banks and corporations. The little guy didn't get the same level of financial help. International trading and agreements affect real people and as a conservative Harper believes this must be the primary concern of governments: to balance market forces with human needs. If properly applied, such policies make conservatism relevant.

Here's what Trump said in a speech in 2016, "No country has ever prospered that failed to put its own interests first. Both our friends and our enemies put their countries above ours and we, while being fair to them, must start doing the same. We will no longer surrender this country or its people to the false song of globalism. This nation-state is the true foundation for happiness and harmony." Harper quotes this statement to show that it resonated with the Somewheres. The ignored, forgotten and unemployed took the message to heart and gave Trump the presidency.

Harper argues that politics alone can't do everything for people. It should even try because it can't. He believes in limited government so that true diversity can prosper. This is opposite approach taken by Canada's Liberal government as it tries to legislate diversity through an anti-Islamophobia Motion 103 and laws protecting identity politics. Pursuing an ideology through politics is dangerous because good governments are there to protect the flourishing of different beliefs and ideas, not take sides. Canadians saw the injustice when this policy is administered. The Liberal government forced employers to sign a value attestation in order to get funding for Summer grants. In short, applicants had to agree to "reproductive rights." Those that refused got no funding. What governments need to promote is a civil society, not a government that pits one side against another to score political ends and advance its agenda.

Right Here, Right Now is a very practical book that lays the groundwork for hands-on roll up your sleeve conservatism. We should stop obsessing about the left or the alt-right, progressive and global issues but focus on the economic and social policies that actually help citizens and their families live better and more productive lives. There is work to be done to make this model of conservatism understood and implemented. We must not let the tumult and disruption of the present scare us about the future. Harper declares, "I am confident that, with the right ideas, right choices, and right leadership, we will come out of this era better and stronger." Let's hope he's right.

In the book's Epilogue, Harper writes that conservatives, "must build an agenda that, while based on enduring values, is focused on the issues that working people and their families are facing today. It must especially address populist concerns about market economics, trade, globalization and immigration." Conservatives should be willing to conserve what is best from the past and be prepared to improve the future by addressing the issues of the day such as health care, immigration, trade relationships, technological change, education, declining wages and unemployment. This is a good sound platform: be conservative. Every issue must be open to debate. It's the essence of an effective and inclusive democracy.

I didn't think I was going to enjoy reading a book about politics, but I did very much. Harper writes from experience because he was prime minster of Canada for ten years. This knowledge comes through every page. He convincingly makes the case that conservatism has an empirical side, but also and more importantly a human side. The author argues that unlike the left we need not destroy institutions in the face of markets, trade, changing societal issues and globalization. Instead, conservatives must understand "that institutions like markets, nation-states, family and faith exist for a reason and embody important lessons." Good politics and good governments need to adjust policies to address present realities and prepare for the unexpected.

I highly recommend this book. I hope Prime Minster Justin Trudeau reads it and learns what good government should be doing. Sadly, his Liberal government has been a disaster. Just ask the thousands of unemployed people in Alberta who have been punished by the Trudeau government's refusal to build a pipeline. As I turned the pages I thought: Canada could really use Stephen Harper's leadership.
13 people found this helpful
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Rule 62 Ken
5.0 out of 5 stars Intelligent and Objective Analysis of Populist Discontent
Reviewed in Canada on October 25, 2018
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In late 2016, the election of Donald Trump, along with the British exit from the European Union (Brexit) were the exclamation points for a world that was demonstrably unhappy with the status quo. Populism was on the rise and it was a frightening time for the political and financial establishment. Former Canadian Prime Minister Steven Harper conducts one of the most objective and thoughtful analyses of the changes taking place in the world then and now in his new book Right Here Right Now: Politics and Leadership in the Age of Disruption.

Harper, who served as Prime Minister of Canada for a decade from 2005 to 2015, makes the case that those who focus on Donald Trump's abrasive personality, his truculence and bellicosity, are missing the big picture. Harper argues that Trump's election was not because of the President's personal appeal, but because a large number of Americans are not doing well economically, and feel left behind in today's climate of globalization and free trade. They are casualties of the widening gap between rich and poor. They do not understand why the stock market and corporate America rebounded from the crash of 2008, while they are still trying to dig their way out of the rubble from that time. While the establishment in both major political parties were sending the message that these people were benefiting from free trade and globalization, this message did not match their reality. Trump was the only candidate who seemed to get this and as a result, many blue collar (and blue) voters who had given their support to Barack Obama in the past two elections chose to park their support elsewhere. Harper makes it clear that he is no Trump fan, but also states that it is a mistake to fail to listen to what these Trump voters are saying. As Harper puts it: "We can pretend that this is a false perception, but it is not... We can keep trying to convince people that they misunderstand their own lives, or we can try to understand what they are saying."

Harper presents a very intelligent and dispassionate discussion about the state of modern politics. He reviews globalization, free trade, market economies and immigration and looks at each of these rationally rather than emotionally. For example, he notes how most people look at globalization and free trade in terms of absolutes. People characterize them as either good or bad. The reality, according to Harper, is that these things are good for some people and bad for others. They have significantly reduced poverty in third world and other developing nations, a very positive result. But in industrialized nations they have meant a lower standard of living for the lower and middle classes. Harper points out that Donald Trump won big in counties in which the average income declined over the last 10 years due to globalization and free trade. This enabled Trump to win the traditionally blue states (with large blue-collar populations) of Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.

Similarly, immigration can been seen as humanitarian, especially when the immigrants come from countries with high refugee populations. But as Harper points out, there is a price that must be accepted along with an expansive immigration policy, and that is a corresponding decline in average income of the adoptive country.

Harper says that it is a mistake to write off Trump voters as bigots and racists. Many are the same people who voted for Barack Obama, the first African-American president, in the last two elections. Instead, these are people who are tired of being told by perceived elites that these policies are good for them, while they watch their incomes decline. Instead of news reports focusing on Kanye West's hat or other pop culture aspects of Trumpworld, Harper says that the discussion needs to be about how to improve the economic lot of working people in the modern globalized world.

Harper is critical of the political establishment in both parties. Though Harper is an unapologetic conservative, he takes aim at Republicans for their self-serving policy of tax cuts for the wealthy. Generally, he says that both parties seem to be fixated on party doctrine and ideology rather than listening to people's legitimate grievances. While there is much he dislikes about Trump, he says that the President is correct about the vast inequity of the trade agreements with China and says that it makes no sense to call something "free trade" when one trading partner restricts sales of goods in their country, while flooding the market of their trading partner with cheap goods produced for slave wages and sold in unrestricted quantities by the Wal-Marts of the world. The one-sided nature of this kind of an agreement has devastating economic consequences. Harper argues that the real political debate should be about creating a better economic future for lower and middle income families.

For much of this book, Harper's nerdish inner policy wonk takes over, and this makes portions of this book laborious to read. He packs a lot in 171 pages. In other parts, Harper has trouble reigning in his fundamental conservative core. But the strength of this book is in its calm and intelligent discussion of the issues that are its focus. The target audience for this book is neither the rabid conservative nor the vitriolic Trump hater. It is designed for the reader who can put principles above personalities, one who is willing and able to take an intellectually honest look at what is why many are struggling economically and how this problems is best addressed. As the author concludes, "whether you accept the analysis and prescriptions in this book or not, I hope it will cause you to think what we can do in this age of disruption - right here, right now."
54 people found this helpful
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FP
4.0 out of 5 stars Good read
Reviewed in Canada on October 19, 2019
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I enjoyed this, good insights into how Trump got elected, Brexit, etc. Details are lacking on some topics however.

I do find the book was a bit heavy on blanket negative statements about the left, often without providing concrete examples. The viewpoint presented is clearly not free of party interest. But, I expected this.

Interestingly, 40% of the book's pages are dedicated to references, but there are no in-text references. This makes the book a quicker read than I originally expected.
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Well Balanced, Easy to read. Great book
Reviewed in Canada on May 23, 2019
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I should start by stating I am a conservative. This book is not written by or for an ideologue or a demagogue though. The book is logically laid out, makes sense, and is well balanced. Stephen Harper was a remarkable PM. I can still remember when I knew the last election campaign was lost to the liberals. PM Harper is and was a politically honest person however the electorate unfortunately was not solely electing a PM for policy choices. Justin Trudeau had "nice hair though", and we are paying the price for it. This book defines what populism is and how it can be managed or harnessed. The book further illustrates how DJTrump was elected in clear, logical, and understandable terms. One area I wish the book would have touched on is the conventional position on social conservative issues that are largely out of touch with, or at the least do not resonate well with voters such as abortion, same sex relationships, and physician assisted death. Continuously these issues contribute to rejection of conservatism by many voters that have otherwise conservative economic and fiscal values, and distract from the real issues. All around the book is a good read even for someone with different political leanings as my orientation to the right. Thank you P.M. Harper for your service and what you did for Canada.
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Steve Ball
5.0 out of 5 stars A Complete Understanding Of Populism
Reviewed in Canada on December 18, 2018
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I have just finished reading this book and I highly recommend everyone reads it. First off, the book is not a political bore. What the book is about is: The rise of Populism, why and how it happened and where it is going. It discusses exactly why the world wide yellow vest movement is happening and why people are generally pissed off with how their countries are being run. FYI it doesn’t even condone Trump but shows why it happened and what must be considered. It also shows how people on the Left are moving further from the Center and to more Socialist-Communist type policies which will be much worse than anything close to what we have now anywhere (although I personally feel Trudeau is very much on this track and will get worse). I strongly recommend everyone reads this book. Very important, easy to understand and well worth it.
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