Uploaded April 2026 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
Donald Trump is waging a war that will actively harm the poorest people on earth, and the world's political leaders are almost entirely silent in response.
The exception is the Chicago-born Pope, who has issued fearless, gospel-based criticism of Trump's actions, while the UK government plans a state visit to the USA for King Charles, Labour's Deputy Prime Minister is meeting JD Vance, and the new Archbishop of Canterbury has said nothing worth noting.
This is not a failure of courage alone. It is the result of a structural failure in neoliberalism. When an ideology reduces all human decisions to those around wealth accumulation and treats morality as an economic externality, like climate change, and so as something to be ignored, it inevitably produces politicians who literally cannot make ethical judgments. Right and wrong become irrelevant categories. Ends justify the means. And the poor pay the price.
The Pope's message is of good news for the poor and freedom for the oppressed. Trump's agenda is the precise opposite. That one religious leader can see this clearly makes it apparent that secular governments cannot tell you everything about what neoliberalism has done to political life, and why reclaiming ethics as the foundation of politics is not a religious question. It is an urgent economic and social issue.
Check out our poll below: youtube.com/post/UgkxWQeu_7zRCwzz3dhcrvbehxCu8rBpm4MC
00:00 — Introduction: Donald Trump vs Pope Leo XIV — a striking contrast
01:20 — The question: why are political leaders largely silent?
02:40 — Exceptions to the silence: Pedro Sánchez and Giorgia Meloni
04:00 — The UK example: diplomacy, loyalty, and muted criticism
05:10 — The Pope’s intervention: moral clarity and direct challenge
06:30 — Faith vs politics: ethics as a guide to action
07:50 — Neoliberal politics: power, wealth, and the erosion of morality
09:10 — Historical shift: from values-driven politics to “ends justify means”
10:20 — Moral courage vs political compliance: why the Pope stands out
11:30 — Conclusion: ethics, leadership, and the need for accountability
TRANSCRIPT
A transcript for this video is available at: taxresearch.org.uk
IF YOU WANT TO WRITE TO YOUR MP ABOUT ISSUES IN THIS VIDEO
If you want to write a letter to your MP on the issues raised in this blog post, there is a ChatGPT prompt to assist you in doing so, with full instructions, here. taxresearch.org.uk/Blog/2025/06/20/chatgpt-prompt-for-a-letter-to-your-mp
HOW TO SUPPORT US
Please consider donating: ko-fi.com/taxresearch
ABOUT RICHARD MURPHY
Richard Murphy is Emeritus Professor of Accounting Practice at Sheffield University Management School. He is director of Tax Research LLP and the author of the Funding the Future blog. His best-known book is ‘The Joy of Tax’.
This video was edited by Thomas Murphy.
RICHARD MURPHY ON BLUESKY:
https://bsky.app/profile/richardjmurphy.bsky.social
OR
ON MY BLOG: taxresearch.org.uk/Blog
HIT SUBSCRIBE & GET NOTIFICATIONS
Subscribe and get notified of new videos released.
INTRODUCTION: youtube.com/watch?v=HdHsRPy3060
PLAYLISTS:
The Wealth Series
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvRueM6wBgobQLeyZYAagFDMjEFTKbhRD
Ecenomics
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvRueM6wBgob54Gs-fOL-8OAQ-IpduwB4
Britain
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvRueM6wBgobwTT4ATvJjsf8OO6S7wD10
Tax
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvRueM6wBgoaMni_12J6ULp3yUJisUZoY
MMT
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvRueM6wBgoZ6jvRGSW5YXu8qogE6aClX
Money
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvRueM6wBgoYnLk1c7syTvoIo8bKYUs5m
Climate Change
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvRueM6wBgob4_wsYaVivWd2WumpPLYwJ
USA
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvRueM6wBgoYYd3dSyU2Oyl3x7bWJOP7H
Labour
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvRueM6wBgoa-KhzG-fnjDSg1WROL1zMw
The Trump Administration
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvRueM6wBgobz41-GLimTho27A3flVWQx
#DonaldTrump #Politics #GlobalPolitics #Ethics #Leadership #Neoliberalism #PoliticalAnalysis #CurrentAffairs #Geopolitics #MoralLeadership #PublicDebate #InternationalRelations #PoliticalCommentary #WorldNews #Accountability #PowerAndPolitics #FaithAndPolitics #Democracy #PoliticalEthics #GlobalLeadership #USPolitics #EuropeanPolitics #MiddleEast #WarAndPeace #MediaAnalysis #PublicPolicy #SocialJustice #CriticalThinking #ModernPolitics #globaldebate
Donald Trump is waging a war that will actively harm the poorest people on earth, and the world's political leaders are almost entirely silent in response.
The exception is the Chicago-born Pope, who has issued fearless, gospel-based criticism of Trump's actions, while the UK government plans a state visit to the USA for King Charles, Labour's Deputy Prime Minister is meeting JD Vance, and the new Archbishop of Canterbury has said nothing worth noting.
This is not a failure of courage alone. It is the result of a structural failure in neoliberalism. When an ideology reduces all human decisions to those around wealth accumulation and treats morality as an economic externality, like climate change, and so as something to be ignored, it inevitably produces politicians who literally cannot make ethical judgments. Right and wrong become irrelevant categories. Ends justify the means. And the poor pay the price.
The Pope's message is of good news for the poor and freedom for the oppressed. Trump's agenda is the precise opposite. That one religious leader can see this clearly makes it apparent that secular governments cannot tell you everything about what neoliberalism has done to political life, and why reclaiming ethics as the foundation of politics is not a religious question. It is an urgent economic and social issue.
Check out our poll below: youtube.com/post/UgkxWQeu_7zRCwzz3dhcrvbehxCu8rBpm4MC
00:00 — Introduction: Donald Trump vs Pope Leo XIV — a striking contrast
01:20 — The question: why are political leaders largely silent?
02:40 — Exceptions to the silence: Pedro Sánchez and Giorgia Meloni
04:00 — The UK example: diplomacy, loyalty, and muted criticism
05:10 — The Pope’s intervention: moral clarity and direct challenge
06:30 — Faith vs politics: ethics as a guide to action
07:50 — Neoliberal politics: power, wealth, and the erosion of morality
09:10 — Historical shift: from values-driven politics to “ends justify means”
10:20 — Moral courage vs political compliance: why the Pope stands out
11:30 — Conclusion: ethics, leadership, and the need for accountability
TRANSCRIPT
A transcript for this video is available at: taxresearch.org.uk
IF YOU WANT TO WRITE TO YOUR MP ABOUT ISSUES IN THIS VIDEO
If you want to write a letter to your MP on the issues raised in this blog post, there is a ChatGPT prompt to assist you in doing so, with full instructions, here. taxresearch.org.uk/Blog/2025/06/20/chatgpt-prompt-for-a-letter-to-your-mp
HOW TO SUPPORT US
Please consider donating: ko-fi.com/taxresearch
ABOUT RICHARD MURPHY
Richard Murphy is Emeritus Professor of Accounting Practice at Sheffield University Management School. He is director of Tax Research LLP and the author of the Funding the Future blog. His best-known book is ‘The Joy of Tax’.
This video was edited by Thomas Murphy.
RICHARD MURPHY ON BLUESKY:
https://bsky.app/profile/richardjmurphy.bsky.social
OR
ON MY BLOG: taxresearch.org.uk/Blog
HIT SUBSCRIBE & GET NOTIFICATIONS
Subscribe and get notified of new videos released.
INTRODUCTION: youtube.com/watch?v=HdHsRPy3060
PLAYLISTS:
The Wealth Series
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvRueM6wBgobQLeyZYAagFDMjEFTKbhRD
Ecenomics
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvRueM6wBgob54Gs-fOL-8OAQ-IpduwB4
Britain
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvRueM6wBgobwTT4ATvJjsf8OO6S7wD10
Tax
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvRueM6wBgoaMni_12J6ULp3yUJisUZoY
MMT
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvRueM6wBgoZ6jvRGSW5YXu8qogE6aClX
Money
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvRueM6wBgoYnLk1c7syTvoIo8bKYUs5m
Climate Change
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvRueM6wBgob4_wsYaVivWd2WumpPLYwJ
USA
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvRueM6wBgoYYd3dSyU2Oyl3x7bWJOP7H
Labour
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvRueM6wBgoa-KhzG-fnjDSg1WROL1zMw
The Trump Administration
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvRueM6wBgobz41-GLimTho27A3flVWQx
#DonaldTrump #Politics #GlobalPolitics #Ethics #Leadership #Neoliberalism #PoliticalAnalysis #CurrentAffairs #Geopolitics #MoralLeadership #PublicDebate #InternationalRelations #PoliticalCommentary #WorldNews #Accountability #PowerAndPolitics #FaithAndPolitics #Democracy #PoliticalEthics #GlobalLeadership #USPolitics #EuropeanPolitics #MiddleEast #WarAndPeace #MediaAnalysis #PublicPolicy #SocialJustice #CriticalThinking #ModernPolitics #globaldebate
