Adam Tooze, a renowned historian and author, delves into the growing concerns of a potential conflict with China and the Biden administration's regional alliance strategies. He analyzes the complexities of U.S.-China military dynamics and critiques the portrayal of China’s economic challenges due to authoritarianism. Tooze emphasizes the superior significance of China's climate policies over U.S. politics, and explores the nation's energy market dynamics, revealing a nuanced landscape that influences global climate action and economic perceptions.
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insights INSIGHT
Geopolitical Tension vs. War
There's a difference between geopolitical tension and the decision to wage war.
Acknowledging conflict doesn't explain the decision to initiate a large-scale military operation.
insights INSIGHT
Shifting Perceptions of War with China
The prospect of war with China has become more real in Washington.
This shift is characterized by the banalization of war through war-gaming and the shock of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
question_answer ANECDOTE
General's Gut Feeling
A US general prepared for war with China based on a gut feeling in 2025.
This reflects a wider perception among top US military officials that war with China is likely.
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This book provides a comprehensive analysis of the economic history of Nazi Germany, highlighting how economic constraints and strategies influenced Hitler's decisions and the outcome of World War II. Tooze argues that Hitler's aggression was a response to the rise of the United States as a global hegemon and Germany's relative economic poverty. The book details the rapid mobilization of Germany's economy for war, the use of slave labor, and the impact of strategic bombing campaigns. It challenges several myths about the Nazi economy, including the idea of an armaments miracle under Albert Speer and the potential for greater mobilization of women in the war economy.
The Deluge
The Great War, America and the Remaking of the Global Order, 1916–1931
Adam Tooze
In 'The Deluge', Adam Tooze provides a panoramic view of the struggle for global mastery from the battles of the Western Front in 1916 to the Great Depression of the 1930s. The book explores how the Great War reshaped the global order, leading to the collapse of empires, the emergence of new nations, and the rise of the United States as a dominant global force. Tooze argues that the war marked the beginning of an American-centered world order, which would be challenged by leaders like Hitler, Mussolini, and those of Imperial Japan in the subsequent decades. The book also delves into the economic and political implications of this new order, including the role of Woodrow Wilson's 'peace without victory' and the global economic instability that followed[2][4][5].
Crashed
How a Decade of Financial Crises Changed the World
Adam Tooze
In 'Crashed: How a Decade of Financial Crises Changed the World', Adam Tooze provides a detailed and extensively researched account of the 2008 financial crisis. The book explores the origins, mechanisms, and far-reaching consequences of the crisis, including its impact on global politics, the rise of nationalist movements, and the ongoing challenges to democracy in Europe and the United States. Tooze's narrative spans from the collapse of Lehman Brothers to the broader geopolitical and economic shifts that followed, highlighting the interconnectedness of global financial systems and the complex responses to the crisis[2][3][5].
Shutdown
Adam Tooze
In 'Shutdown', Adam Tooze offers a compelling narrative of the economic consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic. He explores how the virus exposed deep vulnerabilities in global economic systems, leading to unprecedented shutdowns and interventions. Tooze examines the intersection of politics, finance, and social organization, highlighting the devastating human consequences and the challenges of navigating a complex, interconnected world.
Adam Tooze returns to PTO to discuss the extent to which war with China is increasingly being treated as a serious prospect in Washington and the Pentagon. We also talked about how successful, or otherwise, the Biden administration has been in constructing regional alliances against China during the last four years. And we went on to talk about why the Chinese Communist Party leadership's decisions over climate policy dwarf the US presidential election in significance. Finally, we discussed the economic slowdown in the country and Adam explained why he disagrees with analysts who see China's economic problems as primarily a consequence of increasing authoritarianism.