Simon Sebag Montefiore

Well, I think many, because I think that the human capacity for self-sabotage and self-mutilation, and for suicide, in fact, is endless. So I think history is filled with this happening. Give us an example. Well, I mean...

Well, I think many, because I think that the human capacity for self-sabotage and self-mutilation, and for suicide, in fact, is endless. So I think history is filled with this happening. Give us an example. Well, I mean...

Well, I think many, because I think that the human capacity for self-sabotage and self-mutilation, and for suicide, in fact, is endless. So I think history is filled with this happening. Give us an example. Well, I mean...

I really don't. Just about every society you look at has at various times destroyed itself. I mean, I write about Russian history. I mean, the Russian Empire, the Tsarist Empire, destroyed itself partly through anti-Semitism. It embraced...

I really don't. Just about every society you look at has at various times destroyed itself. I mean, I write about Russian history. I mean, the Russian Empire, the Tsarist Empire, destroyed itself partly through anti-Semitism. It embraced...

I really don't. Just about every society you look at has at various times destroyed itself. I mean, I write about Russian history. I mean, the Russian Empire, the Tsarist Empire, destroyed itself partly through anti-Semitism. It embraced...

in seeking to control the Russian empire in a time of nationalism, instead of embracing an idea of multinational, multi-sect, multi-ethnic empire, it embraced an ever narrower Russian empire. Orthodox nationalism excluded literally 50% of the people in the Russian Empire. This is an example for which we have no sympathy. But it's just, you said there's an example. There's an example.

in seeking to control the Russian empire in a time of nationalism, instead of embracing an idea of multinational, multi-sect, multi-ethnic empire, it embraced an ever narrower Russian empire. Orthodox nationalism excluded literally 50% of the people in the Russian Empire. This is an example for which we have no sympathy. But it's just, you said there's an example. There's an example.

in seeking to control the Russian empire in a time of nationalism, instead of embracing an idea of multinational, multi-sect, multi-ethnic empire, it embraced an ever narrower Russian empire. Orthodox nationalism excluded literally 50% of the people in the Russian Empire. This is an example for which we have no sympathy. But it's just, you said there's an example. There's an example.

So by the time of Alexander III and Nicholas II, the Russian Empire was being run in a completely nonsensical way that turned every single ethnic minority, including Ukrainians, who were actually sort of almost Russians at the time, but alienated all of them. And so when push came to shove, none of them would support the empire.

So by the time of Alexander III and Nicholas II, the Russian Empire was being run in a completely nonsensical way that turned every single ethnic minority, including Ukrainians, who were actually sort of almost Russians at the time, but alienated all of them. And so when push came to shove, none of them would support the empire.

So by the time of Alexander III and Nicholas II, the Russian Empire was being run in a completely nonsensical way that turned every single ethnic minority, including Ukrainians, who were actually sort of almost Russians at the time, but alienated all of them. And so when push came to shove, none of them would support the empire.

That's a classic example, but in our own time, let's just jump ahead and say that you have here a fascinating society, complex society, more complex than societies have ever been, because there are so many estates in this society. There are working people, there is the media, But then also there are new forces. There is the internet, the discourse of the internet, which has a power too.

That's a classic example, but in our own time, let's just jump ahead and say that you have here a fascinating society, complex society, more complex than societies have ever been, because there are so many estates in this society. There are working people, there is the media, But then also there are new forces. There is the internet, the discourse of the internet, which has a power too.

That's a classic example, but in our own time, let's just jump ahead and say that you have here a fascinating society, complex society, more complex than societies have ever been, because there are so many estates in this society. There are working people, there is the media, But then also there are new forces. There is the internet, the discourse of the internet, which has a power too.

All of these estates have enormous influence and complicate things. There's academia. But at the moment, the architecture is darkened by the fact that many of these institutions have been captured by ideological forces.

All of these estates have enormous influence and complicate things. There's academia. But at the moment, the architecture is darkened by the fact that many of these institutions have been captured by ideological forces.

All of these estates have enormous influence and complicate things. There's academia. But at the moment, the architecture is darkened by the fact that many of these institutions have been captured by ideological forces.

Well, I think it is the nature of institutions. And also, history is filled with examples of tiny groups of activists seizing control of giant institutions, whole countries, because they're better organized and because they have the passion of belief. and which is very powerful.

Well, I think it is the nature of institutions. And also, history is filled with examples of tiny groups of activists seizing control of giant institutions, whole countries, because they're better organized and because they have the passion of belief. and which is very powerful.