Why China Builds Faster Than America
In this Bankless podcast, Ryan and David chat with Dan Wang (author of Breakneck) about how China’s “engineers-in-charge” model powers everything from bullet trains and EVs to drones, while the U.S.’s “lawyerly” approach slows growth. They debunk Western myths around Chinese surveillance, social credit, and the idea that China is on the brink of collapse—and explain why U.S. capital markets thrive even as Chinese factories dominate.
They wrap up with a bold prescription: America could use about 20% more engineers, and China needs 50% more rights-protecting legalism. Along the way, they tackle protests in China, digital authoritarianism, crypto, property rights, and envision an “abundance agenda” that blends the best of both systems.
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