How to Invent a Country

BBC Radio 4

4.6 (70)
HISTORY
UPDATED BIWEEKLY

When did countries become countries? Misha Glenny on the borders, the stories and the people of countries worldwide.

JUL 3

Two World Wars, One Failed Revolution

Misha Glenny asks how the losers of two world wars, which drastically reshaped Hungary's borders, tried to fight off Soviet tanks on Budapest's streets. Produced by Miles Warde

42 min
JUL 2

The Butcher And The Poet

Misha Glenny and Miles Warde head to a rally in Budapest where Viktor Orban compares the EU to the Habsburgs, forgetting it was tsarist Russia that crushed the revolution of 1848

42 min
JUN 23

Hungary and Mohacs 500

McMafia author Misha Glenny and Miles Warde travel from Vienna to Budapest to find out how Hungarian hardman Viktor Orban uses history beginning with the battle of Mohacs of 1526

46 min
09/12/2024

Taiwan

At the beginning of 2024 the president of the Chinese People's Republic, Xi Jinping, claimed people living on both sides of the Taiwan Straits should reunite "and share in the glory of the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation". But is Taiwan really part of China, and could this question lead to war? Misha Glenny and producer Miles Warde have been to the capital Taipei and Tainan City in the south to find out about this relationship with the Chinese mainland. "I've obviously been following the situation in Ukraine, and it strikes me that before our eyes we're seeing the rapid development of a new Ukrainian consciousness and national identity. What's struck me about coming here to Taiwan is the same process is underway." Misha Glenny Contributors include Amanda Hsiao senior analyst of the Crisis Group, Linda Jaivin the author of the Shortest History of China, and Chris Buckley, Chief China correspondent for the New York Times now relocated to Taipei. Plus you'll hear from long time resident Chris Taylor, author of the Lonely Planet Guide to Tibet. "All Xi Jinping understands is complete control .... he's given up on what the Taiwanese call the silver bullet, promises of great trade opportunities and get rich, join us. Nobody's buying that. So the only way he's going to get it is by force of some kind." Taiwan is episode 57 of How to Invent a Country on BBC Sounds, the series that has previously travelled to Germany, Brazil, Turkey and Russia. Misha Glenny is a former Central Europe correspondent for the BBC and the author of McMafia. The producer for BBC Studios Audio in Bristol is Miles Warde.

30 min
05/24/2024

China: The Life and Times of Chairman Mao

The Long March, the Civil War, the Great Leap Forward and the Cultural Revolution

42 min
05/13/2024

China: imperial collapse

The end of the Qing and the troubled birth of the republic under Dr Sun Yat-sen

42 min
05/04/2024

China - to kowtow or not to kowtow

Find out how the world's greatest civilisation found itself dragged into two opium wars

42 min
05/03/2024

China - the first emperor

Misha Glenny and Miles Warde head east to find out what is China and where it came from?

44 min

See All (61)

Misha Glenny

Host
Miles Warde

Guest

4.6

out of 5

70 Ratings

Wonderful, funny, informative…

12/21/2023

Potrero2024

Love this show… It’s what keeps me coming back to the BBC. These two guys have great adventures in these countries, piece together the histories in a colorful way, and are hilarious to boot. I’ve learned so much about countries that I thought I knew, this show really fills in a lot of gaps for me, its the best of both worlds, information and entertainment!
Must listen for anyone interested in social sciences

01/30/2023

French60wasp

Insightful, without overwhelming the listener by going down into the weeds. Each episode weaves a tapestry with history, geography, culture, language, and religion to give context to the world we live in today. If I was a secondary school teacher, every episode would be required listening for world history classes.
Essential listening.

09/09/2021

langabean

In order to know where we are going we have to know where we came from. An essential series for inquisitive minds and citizens of the world. Misha Glenny is also a great host. A brilliant historian and journalist who doesn’t take things too seriously.
Who gets to have a country?

09/19/2018

SusanJeffers

What a great series! I've long puzzled over the question of which people-groups / geographical areas get to have their own country - Israel, Palestine, Kurdistan, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Catalonia, Ukraine, Georgia, etc etc being present day questions... Learning about the combinations of factors in play historically is sooooo enlightening. And, of course, as an American, I'm always pondering what KIND of country we ought to be - we seem to be in the birth pangs of re-inventing ourselves, or perhaps falling prey to reinvention. Thanks so much, BBC, for some historical context of the phenomenon of countries!