Accidental sabotage? What a 1944 spy manual teaches us about modern bureaucracy

Manx Newscast

• Podcast Home
• Download Episode

Saturday, 16 May 2026 - 18 minutes

When an American wartime spy manual was declassified nearly 20 years ago, few could have predicted it would spark questions about modern government, bureaucracy and decision-making.

Manx Radio’s Christian Jones and John Moss explore the remarkable parallels between the OSS ‘Simple Sabotage Field Manual’ of 1944 and the realities of modern organisational life.

From committees and consultation to risk-aversion and delay, the programme examines whether systems designed to protect the public can sometimes unintentionally slow progress instead.

Featuring insights from former ministers and political figures including David Cretney and Phil Gawne, the documentary asks the question: where is the line between necessary scrutiny and systemic paralysis?

Subscribe to this podcast

• Apple Podcasts
• Apple Podcasts
• RSS Feed