The Remnant with Jonah Goldberg We Aren’t All Soviets Now ... Or Are We? | Jonah Goldberg vs. Niall Ferguson
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Jul 11, 2024 
Jonah Goldberg and Niall Ferguson debate over whether America is the new Soviet Union. They discuss declining life expectancy, deaths of despair, illiberalism, and potential Cold War II. The conversation covers excess freedom, fentanyl vs. vodka, and the impact of socialism. Listen in for a thought-provoking showdown between two intellectual heavyweights.
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Inspiration for "We're All Soviets Now"
- Niall Ferguson's "We're All Soviets Now" was inspired by the 2024 presidential debate.
- He saw declining US life expectancy mirroring trends in the late Soviet Union.
Differing Roots of Problems
- Jonah Goldberg agrees on some issues but argues that the US and USSR's problems have different roots.
- He emphasizes that the US's issues stem from excess freedom, not totalitarian control.
Similar Outcomes Despite Different Systems
- Niall Ferguson argues that despite institutional differences, outcomes for ordinary people in both the US and USSR are similar.
- He points to declining quality of life and morale as shared issues.