S8 Ep918: Michael McFaul analyzes how China's "Century of Humiliation" profoundly shapes Xi Jinping's drive for national strength and order. He observes that Xi is significantly more autocratic than his predecessors, utilizing modern surveillance technology to repr
S8 Ep918: Michael McFaul analyzes how China's "Century of Humiliation" profoundly shapes Xi Jinping's drive for national strength and order. He observes that Xi is significantly more autocratic than his predecessors, utilizing modern surveillance technology to repr  
Podcast: The John Batchelor Show
Published On: Sat May 23 2026
Description: Michael McFaul analyzes how China's "Century of Humiliation" profoundly shapes Xi Jinping's drive for national strength and order. He observes that Xi is significantly more autocratic than his predecessors, utilizing modern surveillance technology to repress pluralism. McFaul explains how Xi is moving away from the market ideas that fueled China's growth, potentially stifling the economy through increased state control. Despite this repression, McFaulbelieves a demand for freedom persists in places like Hong Kong and Tibet. He argues that the West must recognize the systemic competition between democratic innovation and autocratic control. (4/8)1900 BRUSSELS