Who knew Princess Margaret met Vyshinsky? He was also Stalin's last Foreign Minister.

Soviet elections were not compulsory but participation was strongly encouraged (hence > 90% turnout). Voters could go to the polls and not approve the single candidate. In 1% of cases this "None of the Above" won. For heroic research on this, see www.jstor.org/stable/1953432
@ppfideas.bsky.social

I agree. I think Russia is worried about adverse trends, and this is why it is pushing harder against Europe. The goal is to shift the balance of resolve in its favour in order to undermine the balance of resources tilting against it @keirgiles.bsky.social

On ammo, weapons, tanks, missiles, fighters the answer has generally been no first and then yes. Slow escalation of effort. Challenging e.g. Russian fighters, even in our own airspace, is a next step. Hangs in the balance.

I have long been struck that "archival" and "archrival" are only one letter apart...

Thank you! We are all waiting to find out. The drone and fighter incursions make this ever more urgent.

Fixing Democracy: have Arend Lijphart on the podcast en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arend_L...
He is the leading scholar of variations in democratic design, and their consequences for performance. See esp. his "Patterns of Democracy" (1999). Indispensable for any debates about the future of democracy.

Another great listen. Robert's remark that much of 2024 Labour intake is from NGOs and charities is interesting.

Ted Grant was a name in 1980s. I don't recall him as prominent as Hatton, Livingstone, Heffer etc. Amazing to learn he was a living link to 1930s - early Trotskyism, Cable Street etc.

Exactly as predicted. It was smart of Zelensky to propose a trilateral meeting, as Putin was certain to reject it --which he now has. Putin cannot meet Zelensky.

Just excellent. I'd listen to these two all day. Kinnock as the "last great platform orator" is a compelling perspective. Please consider doing an episode on what happened to British political oratory, and why!

Right in the middle! A distinguished position.

I'm sure that's how Putin addresses Trump...

Ah, were you there? Next time I hope!

Bukharin's widow, Anna Larina, told me in the early 1990s that she had read "Darkness at Noon"...

Very good. Origins of PR in Belgium etc was esp interesting. And the fact the Lloyd George shifted so radically...

I don't think this ep. mentioned UK's extensive use of non-FPTP systems, esp at local/regional level, and even in Parliament: www.parliament.uk/about/how/el...

Re the comparison with "Orwellian", and foretelling of totalitarianism, I hope you will do an episode on the Stalinist show trials, ideally Bukharin's (and its afterlife in Koestler's Darkness at Noon).

Excellent, with a fine Wildean twist at the end.

And good that your Wilde episode didn't quite slip into "martyr" framing and at least mentioned the young men and boys he misused.