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Predictive History, Professor Jiang, No Ads

No advertisements lectures. All credit goes to Jiang Xueqin, aka Professor Jiang. Audio files of Jiang’s lectures.

Latest Episodes:

Civilization #53: Dostoevsky and the Soul of Russia Apr 08, 2026

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Why did Putin invade Ukraine?In this lecture to his Beijing high school students, Jiang Xueqin explains that the war in Ukraine is a clash of civilizations. In his novels "Crime and Punishment" and "Brothers Karamazov" Fyodor Dostoevsky captures and expresses the Russian soul. As a Christian Orthodox people, the Russians believe the meaning of life is to accept the mystery, miracle, and authority of the human heart. This contrasts with Anglo-American civilization, which proposes a utilitarian and materialistic conception of the universe. References:1. "Anna Karenina" by Leo Tolstoy2. "Crime and Punishment" by Fyodor Dostoevsky3. "Brothers Karamazov" by Fyodor Dostoevsky

Civilization #52: Empire of Democracy Apr 08, 2026

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Oscar Wilde once quipped: "America is the only country that went from barbarism to decadence without civilisation in between."What did he mean by this?In this talk to his Beijing high school students, Jiang Xueqin argues that America in its attempt to become an "enlightened" civilization ultimately became an anti-civilization. Civilizations have history, culture, and values, and therefore they have prejudices. These prejudices often lead to conformity, stagnation, and close-mindedness. America was a diverse open society that was determined to embrace its diversity and openness. It would welcome immigrants from all corners of the world in order to achieve its Manifest Destiny.As such, the Founding Fathers focused on turning America into a "game" rather than a civilization. The Constitution became the basis for a fair, transparent, and competitive game that permitted all to achieve the American Dream. References:1.) Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin2.) Declaration of Independence by Thomas Jefferson3.) Federalist Papers by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay4.) Gettysburg Address by Abraham Lincoln5.) Democracy in America by Alexis de Tocqueville

Civilization #51: Shakespeare's Language of Empire Apr 08, 2026

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How did Shakespeare father the British empire?In this talk to his Beijing high school students, Jiang Xueqin explains that it was Shakespeare's innovations in syntax and diction that transformed English into the linguistic Internet. Cultures, ideologies, and peoples could now meet on this Internet, and have their ideas and values pollinate and cross-breed within the framework of British civilization. References:1.) Hamlet by William Shakespeare2.) Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare3.) "To Autumn" by John Keats

Civilization #50: Rule, Britannia! Apr 08, 2026

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How did England -- a poor and divided island -- become the world's greatest empire?In this talk to his Chinese high school students, Jiang Xueqin explains that England succeeded because it was a poor and divided island.Throughout most of its history, the different peoples of Britain were engaged in open co-operative competition. Their division meant that foreign invaders could come and conquer them, which led to creative destruction. The conflict and poverty within the island forced many to migrate, which led to colonial expansion.These structural forces would permit England to adopt the three major innovations that would allow it to dominate the globe. Its royal navy opened markets for British goods, and protected global trade. The Bank of England allowed for the financing of wars. The English language allowed England to project soft power.

Civilization #49: The Dutch Golden Age and the Rise of the Middle Class Apr 08, 2026

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In this talk to his Chinese high school students, Jiang Xueqin explains how the Dutch Golden Age gave birth to the Middle Class. With the transition from feudalism to market economics and from Catholicism to Calvinism, people changed their focus from accumulating status to accumulating wealth. This created the concept of "class." This concept brought with it certain pathologies (fears of disorder, failure, and germs) that expressed themselves in the Middle Class obsessions with money, art, and materialism.With his paintings, Johannes Vermeer captured the hypocrisies of Middle Class life during the Dutch Golden Age.

Civilization #48: Napoleon's Empire of Myth Apr 08, 2026

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How did a young Corsican become Emperor of France in 1804?In this talk to his Chinese high school students, Jiang Xueqin argues that it was Napoleon's myth-making genius that seduced the French people, and killed the fledging French Republic.In this way, Napoleon was like Caesar and Hitler. Will Trump take America down the same path?

Civilization #47: The Passion of Robespierre Apr 08, 2026

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The French Revolution allowed for the meteoric rise of an idealistic provincial lawyer. During the Reign of Terror, Robespierre could have been king, but ultimately fell to the guillotine, like thousands of his victims. What explains his spectacular rise and fall?In this talk to his Chinese high school students, Jiang Xueqin argues that Robespierre saw himself as the Prophet of the French Revolution, and was determined to achieve the Revolution no matter what. For the weak and oppressed, Robespierre became Jesus, and as such he would come to share the same fate.

Civilization #46: The Revolution of Reason Apr 08, 2026

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This video begins a three-part series on the French Revolution. The over-arching thesis is that the French Revolution was a religious crusade, and it was made successful by the contributions of three geniuses. Jean-Jacques Rousseau was the Poet of the Revolution who dreamed of a better world based on Reason.Maximilien De Robespierre was the Prophet who had the courage and conviction to lead his people into this new world. Napoleon Bonaparte was the Prince who had the skill and resolve to conquer this new world, and make the world bend to his vision.In this first talk, we examine the major thinkers of the Enlightenment (mainly Descartes, Kant, and Rousseau), and how their ideas and arguments would underpin and drive the French Revolution.References:1. Meditations on First Philosophy by Descartes2. Faust by Goethe3. "What is Enlightenment?" by Kant4. Emile by Rousseau5. Discourse on the Origins of Inequality by Rousseau6. The Social Contract by Rousseau

Civilization #45: The Gunpowder Revolution Apr 08, 2026

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The Ottomans, Safavids, Mughals, and Chinese were the first four gunpowder empires. So how did Europe come to conquer the world?In this talk to his Chinese high school students, Jiang Xueqin explains that it's because Europe adopted a whole society approach to warfare. Because of open co-operative competition within Europe, nations were forced to transition from feudalism to the nation-state, from agriculture to industry, and from religion to science. Though these transitions would turn Europe into the dominant military power in the world, they would also unleash social, economic, and political forces that would challenge the status quo, leading to the American and French Revolutions.

Civilization #44: The Spanish Conquest of the New World Apr 08, 2026

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How did a few thousand Spanish Conquistadors subdue and conquer millions of Aztecs, Incas, and Mayans.Most scholars believe it's a combination of superior Spanish military technology, spreading of deadly infectious diseases, and internal tribal conflict that led to the demise of once powerful empires. In this talk to his Chinese high school students, Jiang Xueqin argues that it was the religious practices and beliefs of the native peoples of Central and South America that made them vulnerable to invasion and conquest.The natives had a strict religious hierarchy that established priest-kings as divine beings. When the Spanish executed their priest-kings, they broke the ultimate taboo. This left many Aztecs and Incas helpless and hopeless. Reference:The Mayans' Popol Vuh ("Book of the Community") can be read for free here:https://www.mesoweb.com/publications/...

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