The Lie That Built Modern China - Frank Dikötter

Open Book with Anthony Scaramucci · Mar 5, 2026 · 33m

I've spent a lot of time studying China — the culture, the power, the politics — and I thought I knew the story, but my guest today, historian Frank Dikötter, absolutely blew my mind, because the founding myth of the world's most powerful authoritarian state is built on a lie. Stick around, because this conversation is going to change the way you see China forever. 📚Books mentioned in the episode: Red Star Over China by Edgar Snow https://amzn.to/4raPPIy The China Mission by Daniel Kurtz-Phelan https://amzn.to/4u9GD9S Red Dawn Over China by Frank Dikötter https://amzn.to/4slHr9Y Frank…