Saturday 22 & Sunday 23 August 2026
Wyboston Lakes, Great North Road, Wyboston
Bedfordshire, MK44 3AL
Ticket information
Introduction
Today’s state is a sprawling leviathan. It reaches into our lives to an historically unprecedented degree. Yet it is, at the same time, fragmenting, incompetent and unable to maintain control of safety and security, internally or externally.
Beyond this, something is missing: any sense of legitimacy. Political legitimacy in the modern era is conferred by the people – the demos – yet the contemporary state often appears to be set explicitly against them. Ordinary people are seen as a problem to be managed, a source of danger, as something for the state to be protected from.
The Academy 2026 will explore the origins and development of the contemporary state. Why is the state, which seems to be growing inexorably, apparently incapable of delivering? Is it increasingly set against the people – and if so, why?
Suggested reading
- Thomas Hobbes – Leviathan (1651)
- Alexis de Tocqueville – Democracy in America (1835-1840)
- James Burnham – The Machiavellians: Defenders of Freedom (1943)
- Peter Turchin – End Times: Elites, Counter-Elites and the Path of Political Disintegration (2023)
Beyond the discussions
The Academy is a residential event that offers a lot more than just the conference sessions. The quality of getting together while getting away from it makes it special.
Tickets with accommodation include:
• Brilliant food: a quality breakfast (including continental and cooked options), an extensive lunch, and a three-course dinner
• Excellent facilities: access to the Wyboston Lakes gym, swimming pool and other amenities during your stay
• Social opportunities: staying the night means you’ll experience the full, collegiate atmosphere of the event and get the chance to carry on discussions over dinner and in the bar.
Tickets
You can choose to buy day tickets without accommodation, or tickets that include accommodation at Wyboston Lakes Resort. Tickets are subsidised to make the event available to as many people as possible.
Day tickets only include lunch
Have a friend who is also interested? You can save up to £65 each by doubling up with a friend. Select ‘double occupancy’ and let us know you’d like a twin room.
Click on the links below to purchase:
For concession prices for senior citizens, unwaged and students, please contact Geoff Kidder: geoff@ideasmatter.org.uk