🎙️ My guest today is Roger Huang, an author, journalist on Forbes, Bitcoin Magazine and more, and a Bitcoin advocate, whose work bridges the intersection of Bitcoin, geopolitics, economics, and history. Roger is the author of “Would Mao Hold Bitcoin?”, an exploration of Bitcoin’s potential within China’s political and monetary landscape. From the impact of inflation on historical events like Tiananmen Square to the implications of digital surveillance and central bank digital currencies, Roger provides a comprehensive analysis of how Bitcoin can challenge state control and empower individuals. In this episode, we explore Roger’s journey from his roots in China to his upbringing in Canada, and how his disillusionment with the traditional financial system inspired him to advocate for Bitcoin as a tool for freedom and decentralization. Roger shares powerful stories about the Chinese surveillance state, the role of inflation in shaping politics, and the growing global influence of China’s economic strategies, including the Belt and Road Initiative and CBDC development.
This episode is also on Twitter, Spotify, Fountain, Rumble and more.
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We talked about:
00:00 Coming Up…
01:01 Introduction to Roger Huang and His Work
03:00 Roger's Background and Early Interest in Bitcoin & Writing
08:38 Mao's Economic Policies and Their Consequences
13:18 Inflation and Political Unrest in China’s History, and Tiananmen Square Protests
18:07 Human Rights Violations & Digital Surveillance in China
22:44 Social Credit Score System in China and the Rest Of the World
28:58 Censorship: The Dangers of “Everything Apps” like WeChat
35:44 What “Cashless Society” Looks Like in China
38:03 The Rise of CBDC’s in China
49:54 China's Belt & Road Initiative - Acquiring Geopolitical Power
53:51 Roger's Personal Passion for Bitcoin
57:55 Conclusion and Where to Follow Roger
My takeaways:
Roger’s work explores the intersection of human rights, freedom tech & Bitcoin and geopolitics.
Inflation has been a persistent issue in Chinese history.
Mao's policies were heavily influenced by the need to control inflation.
The Tiananmen Square protests were fueled by economic discontent.
China's surveillance state is one of the most advanced in the world.
The social credit system is used to punish dissent in China.
There are parallels between China's surveillance practices and those in the West.
Digital payments in China can lead to immediate penalties for behavior.
Censorship is a growing concern with government influence on social media.
Decentralization is crucial to avoid reliance on single entities, protocols like
Bitcoin and Nostr offer alternatives to centralized platforms.
Bitcoin serves as a hedge against government control and financial instability.
China's central bank digital currency initiatives are closely monitored by other nations.
CBDC’s can track consumption habits, expiry dates and more
The integration of CBDCs with existing payment systems is a strategic move.
China's approach to cashless transactions is not as coercive as perceived.
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