Main content

The Shadow of the Cold War

Episode 77 of 3

Economist Jeffrey Sachs, who advised Russia at the end of the Cold War, argues that many of today's global problems were caused by bad decisions at the end of previous wars.

Jeffrey Sachs argues that many of today's global problems are hangovers from bad, ungenerous decisions at the end of previous conflicts.

Professor Sachs is one of the world's leading economists, and amongst the many governments he has advised over 30 years were Poland and Russia at the end of the Cold War.

In this very personal talk, recorded at McNally Jackson books in New York City, Professor Sachs describes how a stunned Russian Prime Minister, facing economic calamity and desperate for western support, was told instead by western governments that there would be no help forthcoming. And he argues that decisions like this - similar to those taken by the Entente powers at the end of the First World War which sowed the seeds of today's conflicts in the Middle East - are a large part of the explanation of Russian attitudes today, including in Ukraine.

The presenter is Amanda Stern.

Producer: Giles Edwards.

Available now

15 minutes

Last on

Sun 21 Dec 2014 05:45

Broadcasts

  • Wed 17 Dec 2014 20:45
  • Sun 21 Dec 2014 05:45

Download this programme

Subscribe to this programme or download individual episodes.

The Best of Four Thought

Explore some of the best programmes from Radio 4's Four Thought

Change a light bulb, check your emails...

What can you do in 4 minutes? Join us in some intelligent time wasting.

Seriously...

Seriously...

Discover seriously interesting documentaries from Radio 4.

Podcast