Daniel Defoe, writer and spy

This episode of Late Night Live explores the lesser-known role of Daniel Defoe not just as the author of Robinson Crusoe, but as a secret agent for the English government in early 18th-century Scotland. Host David Marr speaks with historian Mark Mirowski, whose book A Spy Amongst Us reveals how Defoe was recruited by Robert Harley to infiltrate Scottish opposition to the Act of Union between England and Scotland. Defoe, a failed businessman and pamphleteer who had previously been imprisoned for satire, used his Presbyterian faith and linguistic fluency to gain trust among Scottish dissenters while secretly gathering intelligence and undermining resistance. He operated as a double agent, writing anonymous pamphlets that shaped public opinion, sabotaged alliances between radical Presbyterians and Highland clans, and helped ensure the Union passed. Mirowski argues that Defoe’s work marked a turning point in the history of espionage and political manipulation, laying groundwork for modern intelligence and propaganda. The episode also draws compelling parallels between Defoe’s spy work and his later fiction, particularly Robinson Crusoe and Moll Flanders, where themes of isolation, deception, and survival echo his real-life experiences. Despite moral qualms about lying, Defoe justified his actions as serving a higher moral purpose—preserving national unity. Key takeaways include: Defoe’s espionage was instrumental in securing the Union, not just through covert operations but through shaping historical narrative; his use of fiction as a tool of political influence foreshadowed modern propaganda; the deep connection between narrative craft and deception in both spy and novelist roles; and the enduring legacy of his work in how the Union is remembered. The episode challenges the myth of Defoe as a mere novelist, revealing him instead as a pioneering figure in statecraft and psychological warfare.