Length: 54 minutes
Link: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/empire/id1639561921?i=1000642853857
The introduction to this podcast episode sucked me in. It was eloquent and well presented. I didn’t know anything about the historical figure to be discussed but I wanted to learn more about Nader Shah after listening to the first minute.
It was clear from listening to this podcast that the hosts William Dalrymple and Anita Anand know a lot about history. They worked together well and at times it seemed like it was just two friends discussing history. This presented an informal listening atmosphere. At times it seems like they are easily sidetracked by neat historical facts that draw away from the topic of conversation.
There were often references to past episodes so it appears that these episodes build upon one another to present a wider view of the subject. The current topic is the Persian Empire. Despite this I felt that I could just begin with this episode and still learn. Dalrymple also does a good job of plugging his book during the podcast.
I felt like they tried to cover too much ground in this podcast and it might have been better suited for a couple of episodes. I feel like I learned interesting facts about Nader Shah but not quite as much substance as I would have liked.
Overall it was an enjoyable podcast. I will listen to a few more episodes and see if it makes it into my library.
William Wilberforce has been called an agitator for his commitment to ending the slave trade. One of his well known speeches on the subject was given on May 12, 1789.
Cardinal Richelieu has been hailed as a great statesman and as a subversive authoritarian. Depending on who you talk to he was a man needed to strengthen the monarchy in France, or he was a tyrant seeking personal power. Next week I will have a book review that may shed more light on Cardinal Richelieu.
When Lenin was working on his major writing projects he would often pace across the room formulating the ideas that he would write down by saying them out loud. Once he had the idea for what he wanted to write he would often repeat the idea to Nadezhda Krupskaya, who would provide feedback. Once this process was complete he would then write the ideas down.
Here is an AI rendering of what that might have looked like when he was drafting What is to be Done.
This month this community will focus on political subversion. What is subversion? When is it justified? What is the interplay between subversion and agitation? These are some of the topics to be discussed this month.
“You get used to the despot’s shortcomings, when they are not great vices, and the change of an autocratic ruler leads to involuntary fear.”
Sergei Trubetskoi
