5 Feet of Fury

The corrosive legacy of Live Aid

No, because of its “best intentions.” That’s vital. LiveAid contained the seeds of its own failure, like all leftist campaigns. And the only people who can’t figure this out are the leftists themselves.

But we can now see how this event has backfired, despite the best of intentions. It was founded on a misconception, promoted a patronising view of the world and encouraged the idea that soundbites, stunts and simplistic gestures can heal the most complex problems.

The result is the triumph of cheap emotionalism and celebrity politics — and, unfortunately, damage to the continent it sought to help.