The David McWilliams Podcast China Explained with Dan Wang
22 snips
Dec 2, 2025 
In this engaging discussion, technology analyst Dan Wang, author of *Breakneck*, explores why infrastructure projects like the Dublin Metro stall due to powerful litigators. He contrasts China’s rapid engineering prowess with the lawyer-dominated Anglosphere. Dan shares insights on China’s national ambition, its staggering infrastructure buildout, and the social costs involved. He cautions that while common-law systems slow progress, a world of builders versus barristers might reshape our future. Europe's declining competitiveness also takes center stage, highlighting a looming crisis.
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Ranelagh Litigation Blocking Dublin Metro
- David McWilliams describes local Ranelagh residents repeatedly using judicial reviews to delay Dublin's metro project.
- He calls them "cavemen" and highlights how a vocal minority can block infrastructure for the majority.
Engineering State Drives Rapid Build-Out
- Dan Wang frames China as an "engineering state" whose leadership and training prioritize building and large-scale execution.
- That bias explains rapid infrastructure and industrial expansion compared with lawyerly, process-driven Western states.
Personal Time Spent In China
- Dan Wang recounts living in China between 2017–2023 to study tech and industrial policy firsthand.
- He observed leaders with engineering backgrounds shaping both physical and economic projects at scale.
