Episodes

  • In Search of Monsters to Destroy: The Manufacturing of a Cold War by Cynthia Chung

    In Search of Monsters to Destroy: The Manufacturing of a Cold War by Cynthia Chung
    Oct 2 2024

    This Substack article argues that American Cold War nuclear strategy was not a rational response to Soviet aggression, but rather a self-fulfilling prophecy based on faulty assumptions and a distorted understanding of history. The author, Cynthia Chung, critiques the “systems analysis” approach of the RAND Corporation, a research group established after World War Two. She argues that RAND's reliance on mathematical models and “rational choice theory” led to a dangerous escalation of Cold War tensions, culminating in a near-nuclear war. The author further argues that RAND's embrace of this flawed approach was driven by a deep-seated American paranoia, fueled by the traumatic experience of Pearl Harbour, and a desire to maintain American global dominance. Ultimately, the article posits that the United States' obsession with "winning" at all costs, rather than engaging in genuine diplomacy, created a Cold War that threatened the world with nuclear annihilation.

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    11 mins
  • Ireland 1845-1850 The Perfect Holocaust

    Ireland 1845-1850 The Perfect Holocaust
    Oct 1 2024
    The text presents a forceful argument that the Irish famine of 1845-1850 was not a natural disaster, but a deliberate and systematic genocide perpetrated by the British government. The author, Chris Fogarty, argues that the British government's policies, including the enforced removal of food from Ireland, led to mass starvation and death, with a significantly higher death toll than previously acknowledged. The text meticulously compiles historical evidence and sources, including primary sources, to support this assertion, disputing common narratives and highlighting the role of British landlords and officials in the famine. It seeks to expose the "perfect holocaust" as a crime deliberately hidden by the British government and subsequently by Irish institutions.

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    9 mins
  • Lettres, instructions et mémoires de Colbert

    Lettres, instructions et mémoires de Colbert
    Sep 29 2024
    The text is a collection of letters and memos written by Jean-Baptiste Colbert, the French Minister of Finance under King Louis XIV, discussing his policies. The excerpts focus on the administration of finances, especially the collection of taxes, the management of royal estates, and the regulation of trade and industry. Colbert’s meticulous attention to detail is evident, as he issues instructions to his officials on everything from the collection of taxes to the regulation of the quality of manufactured goods. The texts reveal Colbert’s vision for a strong and prosperous France based on a centralised, efficient bureaucracy.

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    11 mins
  • The cosmopolitan railway, compacting and fusing together all the world's continents by William Gilpin

    The cosmopolitan railway, compacting and fusing together all the world's continents by William Gilpin
    Sep 29 2024
    The text is a long excerpt from William Gilpin’s book “The Cosmopolitan Railway”, published in 1890. Gilpin, a former governor of Colorado, advocates for the construction of a transcontinental railway system that would connect North America, Alaska, Siberia, and eventually all continents. He examines the political, social, and economic implications of such a system, arguing that it would not only stimulate economic growth but also contribute to the unification and advancement of global civilization. In particular, he focuses on the potential for this railway to spur development in Siberia and Turkestan, areas he believes are rich in resources but hindered by poor infrastructure and isolation.

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    10 mins