The Rant Before Christmas

It’s Christmas Eve, and what’s more germane to the holiday season than some lengthy rambling about authoritarianism? Of course, today’s Ruminant is a little more nuanced than that. It also digs into how political states emerge in the first place, why Russia is becoming a “really crappy” country, and how to distinguish between valid criticism of American foreign policy toward Ukraine and toadying to Vladimir Putin. On the lighter side, Jonah also answers a few questions that arose after the week’s earlier episode with the Fair Jessica. We wish you all a wonderful holiday! Show Notes: - The Fair Jessica’s Remnant return - Zelensky’s speech to Congress - Julia Davis’ Russian Media Monitor - Jonah: “Authoritarianism’s Bad Year” - Francis Fukuyama’s The Origins of Political Order - How Putin’s war became a catastrophe for Russia Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices