The David McWilliams Podcast

What a scandal at the Irish national broadcaster tells us about how the country became the most expensive place to live in Europe. It's all about value for money and how the government's inability to keep down costs, seeps into the wider economy, pushing up all prices, making everyone feel poorer despite having more money than ever. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From a train journey to Ishango bones we talk about Europe’s complicated relationship with Africa before turning our sights (and your ears) to Maths - and how Math has shaped society as we know it! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The whole world learned the name Prigozhin over the weekend as the warlord threatened Putin and plotted a course for Moscow. With this failed coup now behind us, let’s analyze what this means for the Putin regime. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this intimate conversation, we discuss America - from a political, personal & cultural point of view to understand this land where decisions and policies ripple across the world. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Urban living is nothing new, but some decades did it better than others! Let’s look at how people designed cities before the advent of cars and what we can be inspired by as we look ahead. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Brexit was supposed to drive a wedge between the two jurisdictions of Ireland. In reality it has built a bridge: There's far more trade between the North and the South now. Demography is only going one way and the reaction of the Unionists is immiseration. How else can we interpret the Unionist default position of “the south can’t afford us” other than a strategy to stay poor so that the bill of unity might be too steep for Irish taxpayers? These may be the first political force in a democracy to prefer mass poverty to mass prosperity! Have a listen. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Love Football? Love Succession? You're gonna love this one in which we explain the economics of football as Logan Roy would explain it to Shiv, Kendal, Roman and Conor. The game's business model is completely dumb: relegation guarantees bankruptcy and clubs are nothing more than dick waving trophies for bored Princelings. No holding back here, stay tuned to find out more! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

America has been fighting through a series of drug epidemics in the last few years, and those drugs are now poised to cross the pond. Today we take a look at what is going on and why Europe should be worried at what's coming from the USA. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We start in America, breaking down the impact of the debt ceiling deal & why more bank fallouts are likely on the way before moving to the Irish census to talk about what we can learn from this amazing “day in the life” view of the Irish population Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

All criminal enterprises are enterprises, meaning they are businesses…and like every business they leave a money trail. Today we talk to the man who is suing the Wagner Group, hitting them in their deep pocket. Jason McCue has successfully prosecuted the IRA and HAMAS, now he’s going after Wagner. Fascinating stuff! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The American economy refuses to obey the Federal Reserve and things are going to break. We examine the monetary bind facing the world's premier central bank and what it all means. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The saying goes that there’s a straight line from Plato to Nato - but actually, it’s much more complicated than that. Today we explain why we repeat a story that we know to be untrue and what the real story is. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

They say that history doesn’t repeat itself, but it rhymes. Today’s discussion is all about what we can take from history as we navigate this slow grinding bank crisis, many years of easy money and still elevated asset prices - all in a time of rising, not falling interest rates Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The counter-offensive might be underway but the outcomes are still very much up in the air. Let’s look at what’s going on and how the outcomes in Ukraine will ripple across the world Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Is the US about to manufacture a debt crisis? Don't rule it out. There are enough nut-jobs knocking around Capitol Hill for whom shutting down government is a victory not a catastrophe. And once we’re finished with the Lunes on the Hill, we explains what any Irish sovereign wealth fund (PS: we’re delighted the government is listening to our ideas!) ought to be focussed on. Incidentally, paying down debt is actually the worst use of money possible. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The American banking system is experiencing a slow grinding crisis. We explore, why this is happening, why now and why the Fed adopted a completely different attitude to the 2023 banking crisis than the 2008 crisis and what this all means for the economy and the way we distribute money around the 21st century economy. And further out, could Apple - the great disrupter - be poised to disrupt Wall Street? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The UK is what happens when economic growth stops. So on the week of the coronation let’s look at what is happening in the country and what it takes to right the wrongs of the last few years. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Arts and culture are associated with many things, but rarely is economic impact cited. This is right, culture is not a spread sheet, but nor too is economics. The economy is a highly sensitive ecosystem of which arts and culture are part. We examine the role of culture in the economy, plus in a special detour, we look at the economics one of Ireland's great revolutionary heroes, Wolf Tone. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We seldom hear how the environment affected the growth and collapse of civilizations across the world and history. More than any other factor, the environment has been a defining factor to where we live, how we organize and what we consume. Today we’re joined by the great Peter Frankopan for a masterclass in this untold story. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Having money is only half the battle, deploying it well is the other half. We look at Ireland's financial balance sheet: we're saving far too much! By saving too much, both at the State and the punter level, we are hiding behind the sanctimonious veil of savings rather than involving ourselves in hard thinking, which is what economics is all about. Economists have a bias towards prudence and prudence only, this is highly costly and is an abdication of responsibility. Money is an energy, we have to use it to drive the economy onwards! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I’ve just come back from giving a TED talk in Vancouver. Brilliant experience, lots of amazing speakers, top notch presentations ;which more than anything reveal to us the stories that nations tell themselves. Today we also announce the line up for the Dalkey Book Festival, showing that as a nation of storytellers, we Irish are still second to none. Hope to see you at Dalkey which kicks of with a live podcast! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Countries don't have relationships, they have interests - this notion guides us as we reflect on the coverage of Biden's visit to Ireland before tackling the current economic landscape of Canada from my vantage point in Vancouver where I'm preparing to give a TED talk Friday! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Future citizens have, by definition, no voice but someone needs to speak on their behalf if we’re meant to build a longterm society. The solution to the global housing crisis requires longterm thinking, creating solutions that will sustain us for at least the next 100 years, not just the next election cycle… and it’s much more affordable than you might think! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Communicating the bad before the good is an evolutionary trait that has helped us survive - but in today’s world, our ancestral instincts and the need to sell media has created a vicious circle that we need to expose and change. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What does Ireland do for the Irish Diaspora? Here's an idea: why not use Ireland as the re-charging battery for the Irishness of the Global Irish Tribe? Let's use Biden’s visit to Ireland this week to think about how we harness the soft power of Ireland's greatest and unique asset: the tens of millions people around the world who identify as Irish. Soft power is the power of imagination, and in the future a country's soft power will become much more important for our economy. Hope you enjoy this one. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's Easter, Ramadan and Passover, so let's go to the centre of the three Abrahamic religions, Jerusalem. Many years ago I spent time living and working in Israel which gave me a first hand impression of the country - both good and bad. This week we talk Israel - a country of 9 million people - as that country erupts in anti-government demonstrations, while some in that government talk openly about annexing the West Bank. We also chat to the last Jew in Cork, who emigrated from Cork to Jerusalem, and tells his story. The occupation is an abomination, and the human rights abuses and murder of innocent Palestinians is a stain on Israel, yet Israel isn't going anywhere, nor should it. So what happens next? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

You've never had it so good, but you ain't feeling it. Sound familiar? We explain this dilemma at the heart of a society - in this case Ireland - but its can be applied to many countries. It is one of the reason why politics seems so unstable even in countries where economic data appears robust. Unless economic figures percolate down to how people are experiencing the economy, they are not only unhelpful but worse, they are antagonising. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Putin has managed to turn Russia into a vassal state of China, a fact confirmed by Xi’s visit to Russia. The Sino/Russo alliance against the West is solidified between them but the alliance is not one of equals. Russia is China’s petrol station, while China provides Russia with manufacturing goods. This is China's moment. This week we discuss politics, geo-strategy and the enduring appeal, despite its failings, of the West. Plus a riff on car seats, Yuri Gagarin and why in 1492, it was European not Chinese ships that crossed the oceans to conquer the New World. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The easiest way to rob a bank is to run it. Banks go bad from the inside out. When interest rates shift upward, lots of mistakes and dodgy practices are revealed. We break down where we’re at globally and what comes next - spoiler alert: it ain't pretty. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The global housing crisis is significantly worse in countries that speak English. Why? Is it because far few English speakers live in flats? Flats are cheaper to build, creating more dense communities and apartment dwellers object far less than those who live in houses. We explore the joy of apartments today with the expert help of John Burn-Murdoch Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

You wait for bank failures for years then... three come in a week, one in the home of banking, Switzerland,. This presents central banks with a dilemma. Central banks have two key mandates. One is controlling inflation which, right now, demands higher interest rates, the other preserving the banking system, which right now requires lower interest rates. What gives? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On St Patrick's Day we go to the US, home to thirty five million Irish/Americans - there are only 7 million of us on the island.  In the country that, more than any other, has been shaped by Irish immigrants, we take the pulse of the US with Brooklyn's finest, Bernie Sanders. We chat about the deep problems that exist in the US, but also the way America can be renewed. Don't miss this one and Happy Paddies Day wherever you are. Plus we've got some brilliant new Irish music for you too. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We explain why SVB went bust, why yield curves matter and what comes next. Banks go bad from the inside out, but is this the first or the last bank crash of 2023? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we visited the richest and poorest parts of the UK and it didn't feel right. London, so long the dynamo for productivity, growth and taxation is spluttering and stagnating, while up the road in Northern Ireland; the poorest people now have a healthy life expectancy on par with Sierra Leone. Something has to give. What are Britain's options, will it take them or is the national decline now endemic and irreversible? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

AI has really come into its own in 2023 with the mainstream use of ChatGPT - but beyond the headlines and the initial curiosities, what does the ascent of AI mean for our economy and our society? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the mindset of the West, Russia is a big, significant, military power with significant resources, but is this perception based in reality? Is the reality that Russia is a decrepit state that has failed its people and ransacked its resources? Have the Russians done what they've done for years, which is lie and spin about its real potential, taking hostages and threatening all around them? In truth it's a large, leaky petrol station with nukes. As we go into the 2nd year of the war, lets examine, the reality of Russia. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The way out of the housing crisis, both in Ireland and abroad is going to require us to think as a collective and reject individualistic, speculative instincts. Let’s look at what can be done to create better cities and communities, it’s actually pretty simple. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On the eve of the invasion of Ukraine, we examine how fragile this idea of liberal democracy, where the individual is valued and protected, has become. Yes it has its problems and yes, on a number of fronts, it has not delivered for all, but would you change the combination of liberal democracy and capitalism? There are alternatives out there, I'm not sure I'd like to live in any. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s finally happening, the government is going to tax vacant land! Or at least, they’re thinking about it. As a listener to the podcast, you'll be aware that taxing land to bring it into use has been a cornerstone of what is necessary to bring about a more efficient use of land. Not surprisingly, those with most to lose - major landowners/speculators are pushing back. This fight is the future of housing in Ireland (and everywhere). The State must hold the line and win. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week's Chinese balloons are only the latest sign of tension between the two superpowers. The relationship between China and the US has deteriorated drastically in the last decade - what happened? Today we explore how China transformed itself from a simple producer to a high-tech producer, how that impacts their relationships on the global stage and why microchips are the epicentre of a trade and technology war that will define the coming decades. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On last week’s episode we discussed the fact that immigration is good for the economy in the aggregate, but is it good for everyone? As with most things, poorer people and richer people experience life and its challenges differently. Poorer people compete with new immigrants in the housing and jobs market, as well as for public services. This creates tensions. We examine these social tensions, and look for some solutions. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This bonus episode is brought to you by Done Deal Motors.Price and value don't exist in isolation - everything is relative. Join us for this bonus episode as we look at our social lens on value and the profound impact of interest rates on our lives Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Economic growth is not distributed evenly. Why are some societies richer than others? What is the impact of economic growth? let's look at the very essence of economics today and explain how successful economic growth has a profound impact on our daily lives. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Immigrants are used to having it hard, both in life an in the public eye where they are often vilified. This lambasting though is based on nothing more than lies - the truth is that immigrants helps society grow and prosper. It’s time to set the record straight. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Argentina and Brazil are currently undertaking the herculean task of creating a new currency based on the Euro model. Let’s discuss why they’re attempting this and how the Euro, the model they are following, came to be. The currency is the most important price in most economics, so getting this right is hugely important. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The people who build Europe's gothic cathedrals knew that they wouldn't be around to see them completed. They were building for people yet to be born. This is what we need to build liveable cities right now. Looking at John Gray the 19th century architect of Dublin's water system, we apply Gray's thinking and planning to the of the biggest urban dilemma of the 21st century: housing and urban planning. To execute urban vision, we need to take on some vested interests and think about future generations, not yet here, as our equals Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Davos’s World Economic Forum, although often maligned for it’s ultra-wealthy attendees - and understandably so - is still an event that outlines, and in some cases, shapes the economic priorities of the world for the year ahead. Today we go right to the source to understand what is on the mind of this year’s speakers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's never been more expensive to be 30 something. The old social contract used to be, work hard, study, get a degree, keep your beak clean and soon enough your income will rise and you will end up richer than your parents. That's no longer the case. The conveyor belt of upward social mobility has stalled. The Millennials are falling behind, while their parents are surging ahead. And what about the generation coming behind them? Inter-generational warfare is not pretty but if we don't do something about it, who can blame the young (and youngish) for not being loyal to a system that has been so disloyal to them? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Listen to the view of the region from my travelling companion to Ukraine, Sasha Kabanovsky, born and bred in Kyiv. We covered a lot of ground, historic, political, social and economic. Hope you enjoy it. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As a student I first went to the Soviet Union in 1987. Then spent months in the Russian countryside trying to learn the language in 1991. Since then, I have worked and travelled in both Russian and Ukraine. I was first in Kyiv in 1998, working in the Ukrainian economy. So I've spent many years in that part of the world and have friends from both countries. Last week, I went back to Kyiv with an old Ukrainian mate. Here are the observations. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.