Yakov Feygin

Yakov Feygin, author of "Building a Ruin," dives into the economic struggles of the Soviet Union and parallels with contemporary China. He discusses the strengths and limitations of Stalin's economic model and Khrushchev's shift towards competition with capitalism. The conversation highlights how technological optimism inspired Soviet reforms, many of which echo in Chinese policies today. Feygin also unveils the ideological battles within the Soviet leadership and the historical insights that can inform China's future trajectory.

Yakov Feygin, a historian and author of *Building a Ruin*, dives deep into Soviet economic history, revealing why the USSR's initial successes turned into stagnation and eventual collapse. He explains how the Soviet system uniquely blended market elements with a repressive state that struggled to manage its complexities. With poignant comparisons to China's current model, they discuss how both systems grapple with macroeconomic balance and the perils of focusing on military production. Feygin's insights shed light on the lessons we can draw from the Soviet experience today.