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The a16z Show

The a16z Show

Balaji and Dan Wang: The Engineering State vs Lawyerly State

Feb 13, 2026 · 1h 4m

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About this episode

Balaji Srinivasan speaks with Dan Wang, author of Breakneck, about China's industrial rise, America's competing strengths in software and finance, and what happens when an engineering state and a lawyerly state collide. The conversation covers manufacturing dominance, the future of the dollar, why both superpowers keep making costly mistakes, and where builders fit into what comes next.