In this clip, National Review’s “Uncommon Knowledge” takes counterfactual history to absurd new heights with a discussion between host Peter Robinson, Christopher Hitchens, and Oxford historian Robert Service. “What would Trotsky have done?” is the subject. Peter Robinson sweetly calls it “the question of questions,” then goes bonkers:

“OK Let me put before you several of the outrages under Stalin and you tell me how they would have been different? … The Gulags .. Stalin … he sets up road blocks … effectively starves them out. Trotsky, what would have been different? … Of the purges, Christopher … anyone who might pose any threat to him, Stalin would have eliminated … Trotsky would not have done that?”

Now that’s high-brow talk.