In his book Age of Anger: A History of the Present, the writer Pankaj Mishra examines the 18th-century antecedents of the 21st century disillusionment with liberal, free-market democratic systems that has triggered voter backlashes and violent outbursts. Mishra elaborated on his ideas at a Zócalo event titled “Why Is the Modern World So Angry?” at the National Center for the Preservation for Democracy, in Little Tokyo in downtown Los Angeles. Responding to a question from moderator Gregory Rodriguez, founder and editor-in-chief of Zócalo Public Square, Mishra talked about the frustrations felt by some of his family members, friends, and acquaintances in his native India when their expectations for a better life and social progress were thwarted by reality.
