647. China Is Run by Engineers. America Is Run by Lawyers.

In this episode of Freakonomics Radio, Angela interviews Dan Wang, a research fellow at the Hoover Institution and author of "Breakneck: China's Quest to Engineer the Future." Wang discusses his background, growing up in China and immigrating to Canada and the U.S., before returning to China as an economic analyst. The conversation explores Wang's concept of China as an "engineering state" versus the U.S. as a "lawyerly society," examining the strengths and weaknesses of each approach, particularly in areas like infrastructure, manufacturing, and social engineering. Wang also shares his experiences living in China during the zero-COVID policy and offers insights into U.S.-China relations, intellectual property, and the potential for reshoring manufacturing. He also touches on the cultural differences between China, the U.S., and Europe, and the lessons the U.S. can learn from China's engineering prowess.