Max Price's statues and storms

Abstract

Professor David Benatar, Emeritus Professor of Philosophy at the University of Cape Town, contributes an extended review essay on Dr Max Price’s recent book, Statues and Storms: Leading Through Change (2023), a memoir of the author’s experiences as vice-chancellor of the University of Cape Town, focusing mainly on the “Fallist protests” from early 2015 until the end of 2016. During that time, “protesters shut down the university and engaged in intimidation, assault, and arson, with an ever-increasing list of demands. Dr Price himself was subjected to verbal abuse and physical assault”, writes Professor Benatar. His review is sympathetic to the challenges Dr Price faced, praising his coolness and patience. However, he also critically examines Dr Price’s view that he was forced to take “unpopular decisions” during tumultuous times, arguing that unpopular decisions are “only courageous if they are also the right ones”.