ChinaTalk Adam Tooze on World Order, Then and Now
Sep 18, 2020
Adam Tooze, an economic historian and professor at Columbia, joins Matt Klein, columnist and author, for a deep dive into history’s lessons for modern geopolitics. They discuss the parallels between 1920s economic models and today's U.S.-China relations. Tooze highlights how Nazi legal theory resonates in China and draws disturbing comparisons between Xinjiang's camps and Soviet gulags. The conversation also reflects on the historical context of oppression and power dynamics, aiming to unpack how past strategies can inform contemporary governance.
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China's Unique Challenge
- The post-WWI order was more stable than popularly believed, disproving Schmitt's theory.
- China's rise dwarfs prior challenges, demanding a reassessment of historical analogies.
Russia's Missed Opportunity
- Russia's 1917 election was a missed chance for liberal democracy, highlighting historical contingency.
- Determinism and individual decisions both shape history.
Kellogg-Briand Pact's Legacy
- Kellogg-Briand Pact, while failing to end violence, reshaped how Western states approach war.
- It matters as it articulates the status quo and values of key signatories.
