Episode · Dwarkesh Podcast · 2025-12-19
Books mentioned on Sarah Paine — Why Russia Lost the Cold War
This is the final episode of the Sarah Paine lecture series, and it’s probably my favorite one.
Sarah Paine recommended Democracy in America by Alexis de Tocqueville and The Old Regime and the Revolution by Alexis de Tocqueville. Dwarkesh Patel discussed The Unidentified by Rae Mariz.
Books mentioned, in the order they came up
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Democracy in America
Alexis de Tocqueville’s Democracy in America is a foundational sociological and political study analyzing the structure, culture, and institutions of American society from the perspective of an outside observer.
Recommended“This gentleman, Alexis de Tocqueville, is very famous for writing a book about the last days of the French monarchy before the French Revolution overturned it. He also wrote something about Democracy in America, both excellent books.”
Where to get it
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The Old Regime and the Revolution
The Old Regime and the Revolution by Alexis de Tocqueville is a historical analysis examining the final days of the French monarchy and the conditions that preceded the French Revolution.
Recommended“This gentleman, Alexis de Tocqueville, is very famous for writing a book about the last days of the French monarchy before the French Revolution overturned it. He also wrote something about Democracy in America, both excellent books.”
Where to get it
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The Unidentified
Discussed“There's a very interesting book about North Korea, I forget the title, where the author is pointing out that North Korea could not even start doing reforms today because as soon as there was some sort of information from the outside world that North Koreans could see—which would be part of any reform—they would immediately realize that everything the government”
Where to get it
