Founding Trustee and professor Niall Ferguson gives a seminar on the ideological, geopolitical, and technological challenges free societies face today. Session recorded at UATX Live on the University of Austin campus in February 2024.
As a working-class lad from Newcastle UK these lectures are gold dust. What I'd give to be in that room learning with Niall. Thank you so much for sharing 👍
I don't understand these comments. Obviously his books are better at getting into the detail, but he's great at explaining complex things orally too. I'm also from a working-class background. I didn't know that I didn't know this stuff growing up and going to university and doing maths didn't help me realise that. Propaganda is a cheap shot. Niall helps me make sense of the world. In disagreement and derision (I'm thinking Noam Chomskey) he's respectful. I've got a LOT of time for that. This sort of belittling and effectively calling someone you don't know on RU-vid a shill is not convincing anyone.
I have to go searching for the author of the term "Mutually Assured Economic Destruction" very soon as it appears to be a phrase worth considering these days.
This is the second seminar I've watched from UATX and I'm struck by the fact that in both seminars people, both teacher and student, weren't afraid to say 'I don't know'! This is the essence of the pursuit of truth, acknowledging ignorance, but striving to discover factual truth in order to banish ignorance. Long live UATX!
Very fortunate to have a top history professor who believes in truth and has convictions and principles share a tutorial of smart thinking people discussing very important issues and topics. This is education!
It’s refreshing to see an actual history class, focusing on real and consequential items. The sad part comes when you realize they had to start an University from scratch to provide this once widely available opportunity. I get a survivor, catacomb-Christian era kind of vibe.
Excellent topic coverage and academic approach by Niall, but I would emphasise the impressive contributions by these students as well! I look forward to following the university and its alumni’s progress.
What a delight to be able to listen in on this discussion. I applaud the students for being willing to engage in the discussion, as it was being filmed. I hope to see more of these classes in the future. Such a lovely change to be able to hear ideas being presented and discussed.
Well, well, well ...a group tutorial in which everyone is encouraged to participate without fear or favour, conducted by a tutor who teaches facts. It reminds me of tutorials that i participated in over 50 years ago. Amongst my peers were Conservatives, Liberals, Socialists, and a Maoist. We debated passionately but civily and remained friends. No one was "cancelled." I wish Niall Ferguson and his fellows well. An admirable venture.
I was in the USSR for 1 month in 1967 and 2 weeks in eastern Europe. I visited the USSR 4 times over the years. On the last trip, in 1973, Leningrad looked very much worse than in 1967. That was a mere 5 years.
This is the best advertisement for the UATX project. More please. As for the central question, the culture in the west has been enervated by postmodernism. It has lost the will to fight. This will become evident when we slump over Taiwan. See UK and Suez for the cliff notes.
These students are so fortunate. And I am impressed by there focus and dialogue. More of this! This is the true Professor/Student dialogue we should be broadcasting to the country/world. Not the ideologically possessed shouting of radical morons.
It's one of UATX's stated policies that students shouldn't enter lectures with laptops or smartphones, so as not to record and publish lecturer's or student's comments, thus encouraging open discussion.
The problem to me is: during the Cold War, we had Communism universally perceived as an existential threat. It had taken half of Europe, China and was working its way into "post-colonial" countries across the world. Because of this major threat, the Left (every bit as rabid at heart as they are now) couldn't go as far as they wanted to domestically, because the vast majority of people in the West were obviously "anti-Communist". After the end of the Cold War, and the supposed end to the communist threat...there's no end to the extremes that the Left feel they can now fly off to, and the results show in our societies. Nobody's afraid of being checked for being "Red" or investigated under some McCarthy-esque hunt for "traitors" - being a traitor and denigrating Western cultures, peoples, ethics and history are all cool in today's society! Throw in unfettered immigration, legal and illegal, from non Judeo-Christian countries and cultures and you have a recipe for eventual cultural collapse and national downfall.
Because America has two oceans and friendly countries as neighbors, its enemies have to get creative in direct action (Pearl Harbor, 9/11, Covid, TikTok) as well as use its ideals against it. Freedom of movement and freedom of speech, free markets of both products and ideas provide cover for bad actors to smuggle in ways to undermine American ideals.
Kudos for touching on the greatest intelligence failure of modern history that no one, especially the intelligence community, anticipated the collapse of the Soviet Union . This would imply a structural intellectual rejection of this possibility which was at variance with reality which has not subsequently been widely discussed / analyzed . How we in retrospect collectively ignored the obvious is a subject ripe for analyses in order to avoid future repetition. Expansion of this topic with regards to potential structural blind spots in in US - China attitudes that might lead to such intelligence failures would be prescient.
I remember in-depth seminars like this in history at my alma mater in the early 2000s with pretty left wing professors who managed to restrain from politicizing the discussion quite well.
Mr Ferguson can calm himself down as much as he likes that this war will be cold, and that (non-)reactive strategy of NATO will be enough, but without the readiness of making the war hot from NATO, you will get exactly that - the hot and maybe nuclear war.
Where America is located determines close to all of human history. The US is a unique case. In all human history. But NOT because of the Constitution. Rather, because of a GEOGRAPHICAL position that differs fundamentally from the same for ANY other country. The size and geographical position of the US makes it a completely different KIND of power to ALL other powers.
(I do think it's nice being able to sit in on some of these discussions. Thank you.) No. You and others are incorrect in my view. The Cold War was uniquely almost all-encompassing on nearly all fronts. To claim whatever this is, is clearly just another is to trivelize that era. The USA's relationship with China is high economic competition in the same global system by many of the same means, and firm secondary motivations to either hold territorial political entities in place or have them altered, but just in the South-China Sea, not globally. Even just this is all secondary. Foe the USA the domestic front not only is, but must be the main front in the actual conflict important to the USA. Even more important to the USA even if China hypothetically dominated the South-China Sea. I say that with substantial understanding of what that would mean globally, economically, and geo-politically, in all it's negatives. The main conflict and struggle for the USA is The Cold Civil War. In every way domestic matters matter more to the USA overall then global affairs and competition. Unlike during THE Cold War, the emerging balancing act will increasingly be to firmly place global affairs after domestic priorities and struggle. Accept this reality.
It's about the USA surviving and possibly coming to better know what it really is the legacy of and what it can yet truly be, VS seeking to reinforce the outwardly Liberal, universalist, materialist, agnostic espousing, post-national technology seeking Global World Order thats increasingly been around since WWII, and thrown into absurd arrogant hyperdrive following the end of The Cold War. Which do you think more people, whether they really know it to various different and comparative degrees or not, genuinely feel more concern for?
One thought of mine: if the atomic bomb created a semi-peaceful status quo were both sides feared that if used then the other side will use it as well then what will happen if both sides change that argument slightly and think that the other will never use their bomb (because of the fear of retaliation). Couldnt this actually lead to an INCREASE in conflicts? I mean, we see this in the Ukraine-Russian war were many EU politicians argue: "No problem, we can escalate, Putin will never use his atomic weapons" Greetings from Germany
I am surely missing something or am conditioned by tiktok to expect arguments, but was there much direct disagreement among the group here? Love the discussion and the points made, but not sure that the boundaries were revealed (at least to my coddled brain) between differing views. Well done for being open, sharing and agreeing to be filmed for this seminar.
35:44 This is absolutely the approach of China no matter what Political System(s) it tries to operate qith or under. The Ultimate Definition of "The Long Game" that a "Herding Cats" Western Liberal Democracy is FAR too chaotic almost by DEFINITION will never be able to Achieve realistically. To multicultural, mililti EVERYTHING really. And INCREASINGLY so in the US for Generations. And Probably the origin of MOST of the expansion of the Feds. As well as "Deep State" Conspiracy theories, Right Left and all over the Map. A level of almost GENETIC DISTRUST of WHOMEVER is in power of ANYTHING because every HUMAN knows power corrupts is a Reality as SOLID as Gravity and taxes going up FOREVER. Or FINANCIAL collapse. Because, as DeTocqueville noted about the US at the BEGINNING for all intents and purposes that No Politician faced with Extinction CAN NOT refrain drom buying votes out of the Public Trough. In whatever form on whatever "side". Past, present or future.
I believe that China is the best example of a Totaltarian state that the world currently has. Unfortunately, I see the western world (including the USA) slipping into Totalitarianism and many parts of the western economies are actively pursuing this for economic reasons. It seems to me that Totaltarianism borrows from both capitalism and communism and creates the conditions for perpetual cold war around the world. However, if the world does slip into Totaltarianism it will be very homogenous world with few alternative systems upon which we can rely to compete and provide incentive for change...a very bleak future indeed and a recipy for stagnation. I believe that the democratic government system is at the apex of ruling government and has ideals worth fighting for. This is why we have an obligation to educate ourselves and discredit the woke theology that seems to be dragging us down that path.
Using War to frame the current global order and international relations as well as that in the near future, is actually itself a kind of conpiracy or more tactically decribed a strategic preparation from US to solve its own internal deadlock both ideaologically, monetarily and economically. Niall, one of the famous histrical writer who is also my favorite scholar, unfortunately, either dictated or out of the ambition to be the most influential liberal imperialist, emerged to be a academic proxy of the Anglo-Saxen regime.
I don’t know how many people in that classroom have been to China, if much of discussion is about China. Just like what professor experienced in East Germany.
Idk but not sure it matters that much - one can learn a massive amount about a place without ever living there or spending much time there. If that’s what you’re getting at anyway, maybe not. Niall said that he’s been there and had conversations with people in leadership positions so there is that.
@@WideAwakeHuman Niall Ferguson hasn't been to China in the last 10years, he was bitter about China, because he was sucking up to the Chinese, but Chinese did not saw value in him, and did not renew his contract in Beijing.
Orwell was kind of right and kind of wrong. Totalitarianism doesn't necessarily look like the Stalinism he feared. Read Augusto Del Noce for a better understanding of what happened in the West. Truth is, the Cold War was really 1984 (USSR) vs. Brave New World (America).
Thanks for the reference - I hadn't heard of that one. 1. Sheldon Wolin wrote about Inverted Totalitarianism, in reference to USA. Presumably he'd also include the same for the Empire's vassals. He's trapped in a left/right polarised view though, so when reading him I was struck by how reversed the roles are to reality - perhaps that's the only way to get published though. 2. Several accounts have claimed that Eric wrote 1984 not about USSR but about USA, and how puppeteers such as James Burnham, Walter Lippmann etc were managing the regime & peasants.
The Chairman resigned - Marietta - after being told by the Dean that they have to get all events pre-approved for content and what not after some student protested.
@@paulmaggs3212 his information about China is about 15years old, he hasn't been to China in the last 10years. He was a guest lecturer in Beijing, he wrote a book sucking up to the Chinese, but the Chinese did not renew his contract because they saw no value in his academic work. He was quite bitter about the experience. China is now ahead of America in solar, battery, wind turbine, EV, telecommunications, global trading, infrastructure, biotech, public healthcare, public safety, public transportation, just to name a few. Also China filed more patents at WIPO than America 5years in a row, and out of world's top10 patent producers, four are Chinese company and only two are America.
12:55 I'm a FIRM unwashed dweller of "Flyover Country" in a poor State in US. PROUDLY as it us possible to be. And 3 generation Navy Vet. So far. But this is like Nietzsche in the 19th, and Dostoevsky level "Future Think" as best I can manage being unable to read either from start to finish. But able to follow discussions of for to masses by various folks un the decades after. Cannot believe at least ONE of the students had never read 1984 at least apparently. But I guess that is indicative. I would like to know if these students are here for Masters, or PhD. They all seem older for a BS is why I am curious. I'm old enough to qualify for geezer status. I often think of myself as one of Wokes First round of casualties of First Generations of the long march thru public education as a student in the 70s as a White Male working class child every BIT as cantankerous as now. Got to where I just moved my desk in the corner to save them the trouble of telling me to go there.
divine central authority unity with substantive human rights choice for international law overcome political government separation from God tell each person what to do
As an old man who was there during the cold war, having studied the history of the Soviet Union in the 1960's and continuing to love history, I must say that I just had a feast. What a marvelous discussion and example of good teaching this provides!
Most of his information about China is more 15years old, He was a guest lecturer in Beijing's university, he wrote a book sucking up to the CCP, but the Chinese did not renew his contract because they saw no value in his academic work. He was quite bitter about the experience and had been trash talking China ever since. Don't believe me look it up yourself. China is now ahead of America in solar, battery, wind turbine, EV, telecommunications, global trading, infrastructure, biotech, public healthcare, public safety, public transportation, just to name a few. Also China filed more patents at WIPO than America 5years in a row, and out of world's top10 patent producers, four are Chinese company and only two are America.
Sad irony in how much like a Cultural Revolution-era "study session" this is. The namedropping interjection of "red pill" talking points by the students really tells you all you need to know about the University of Austin--save money and just stick to your podcast/youtube feed. At least Ferguson is keeping the tradition of conceited professorship alive.
40:24 This can ONLY work if EVERYONE in the same Political Boat is rowing constantly as they are able. No SINGLE Nation,nuclear or not, can sustain the Economic burden of containment singlehandedly. Even an Economy as Fruitful and Dynamic as the US'S and the Broader West has been. But it can not also support a cradle to grave unaccountable Welfare State nobody even seems to either be able or willing to eacape once they fall into it. Not even through Military Service which NOBODY mentions pays for college. Either BS, or Med School and such it needs to fill as well but only ONE IR OTHER. Never both. But, while enlisted offers correspondence courses and often Civilian Instructors for basic courses and night classes etc in English either as a college level class EVERY University requires in Junior Division or their equivalent Freshman Level course loaf before matriculation into their Major or Minor requiements if a Command is large enough. Folks can knock a significant portion of transfer credits while on acrive duty in their off hours. Also offers English as a second language courses if demand is large enough at bases of same sort of size. These can often be taught by Officers assigned to that base. Then G.I. Bill, that sadly was done away with while I was serving. The Recruiter never mentioned this particular tid bit at the time though. And the bill is one of the few, if not ONLY Federal "Program" that had an ROI far in excess of any other since it's inception. A single enlistment is ALSO A Path to Citizenship AND job training and SAME college benefits ro Foreign Born as well. NOBODY EVER mentions this in the "Immigration Debate". EVER! Especially the Left. Talk about recruiting opportunities! But qualifying for enlistment is tough for third world folks, but not impossible if Parents know about it AT ALL. All over the World. Military scholarships and ROTC is NEVER promoted by the left either. Only "Free Stuff" or loans students will never pay off with a Degree in Feminist Art History.
I listened to the first half of the discussion and it was very apparent to me of the political leanings of the Prof. Ferguson. The Univ of Austin was supposed to be apolitical where students could study without being subjected to the liberal influences that pervade most universities (or so it's claimed by Prof Ferguson). What I heard in the hour that I listened was discussion about how George Orwell was wrong about certain things and about how Clinton and Obama were wrong about China. Of course, he had nothing but praise for Henry Kissinger who was a war criminal by all accounts. I guess that I'm not surprised by what I heard. I'm sure that the majority of students (white males) that attend the Univ of Austin have a Republican bias and feel quite at home.
