Wagner, Two Years On (Kamil on Coups and Power)

ChinaTalk

How does Russia prevent uprisings, and what can other authoritarians learn from Moscow’s methods of coup control?

For the second anniversary of the Wagner uprising, ChinaTalk interviewed London-based historian Kamil Galeev, who was also a classmate of Jordan’s at Peking University.

We discuss…

• Why the Wagner Group rebelled in 2023, and why the coup attempt ultimately failed,

• How Wagner shifted the Kremlin’s assessment of internal political challengers,

• Similarities between post-Soviet doomerism and the American right,

• Historical examples of foreign policy inflienced by a victimhood mentality,

• Barriers to Chinese hegemony.

Outro Music: Султан Лагучев - Любовь беда (YouTube Link)

Today’s episode is brought to you by 80,000 Hours, a nonprofit that helps people find fulfilling careers that do good. 80,000 Hours — named for the average length of a career — has been doing in-depth research on AI issues for over a decade, producing reports on existential risk, scenarios for potential AI catastrophe, and examining the concrete steps you can take to help ensure AI development goes well.

Their research suggests that working to reduce risks from advanced AI could be one of the most impactful ways to make a positive difference in the world.

They provide free resources to help you contribute, including:

• Detailed career reviews for paths like AI safety technical research, AI governance, information security, and AI hardware,

• A job board with hundreds of high-impact opportunities,

• A podcast featuring deep conversations with experts like Carl Shulman, Ajeya Cotra, and Tom Davidson,

• Free, one-on-one career advising to help you find your best fit.

To learn more and access their research-backed career guides, visit 80000hours.org/ChinaTalk.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices