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.