Marveling at this review of my book on Xi Zhongxun by Jon Sine: he absolutely nailed it. It was precisely to facilitate this kind of reflection that I wrote “The Party’s Interests Come First”

www.cogitations.co/p/the-life-a...

Han road network was itself built on Qin inheritance. Merely moving the capital across the Wei river from Xianyang (after it was destroyed) to Chang'an (now Xi'an)

Han Dynasty and Roman Empire. We like to say "all roads lead to Rome" but it is much more accurate to say "all roads lead to Chang'an."

Han Dynasty road network was radial, whereas the Roman road network was mesh-like.

Finally someone with refined taste has read my footnotes!

The Soviet reform experience is a repository of ostensible lessons. But are we learning the right ones?

My new essay assesses one debate: the role of "entrenched interests" in the failure of Soviet economic reform and the USSR's ultimate demise. www.cogitations.co/p/from-refor...