The David McWilliams Podcast

Draghi is out and the Italian government is heading for yet another election - what is happening with this country that seems to be in constant political turmoil? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Starting with a Chinese example before moving to Ireland, we breakdown how exactly recessions happen, how one person’s behaviour spreads through society and what the current signals are saying about the winter to come Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Bit of a macroeconomic-fest this one. We examine currency crises and why currency collapses could become contagious. We are heading into strange economic times, expect far more currency crises than the mainstream expects. Watch this space in the Autumn. Expect debt forgiveness ahead. Plus this week we have a new slot: my answers to your questions on Patreon. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

China is hurtling towards recession. This is a dramatic shift in the global economy which will have huge unforeseen consequence for the economy. Plus, last week Sony Kapoor outlined why the economically, financially and politically next ten years won’t be any like the last two or three decades. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For financial markets, the last three decades of easy money is officially over. Sony Kapoor joins us to tease out the world economy at this inflection point. Fascinating, wide ranging, optimistic and urgent. You'll love this one! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s finally happening! The "chaos monkey" is gone, but the chaos remains. We look at the trilemma facing the next British leader or as I prefer to call it the "inconsistent triplet" at the heart of UK policy making. What comes next for the UK? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today’s pod is going to be slightly eccentric, we’re going to look at the world’s big events of the last year through the eyes of one of the world’s best satirist: Gary Shteyngard. In this wide ranging interview we’ll cover everything from Russia to Covid - and everything in between! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As Patti Smith sang, People have the Power. The economic pendulum is swinging from capital to labor, from profits to wages, and these shifts never happen smoothly, markets - previously priced profits -freak out, central banks no longer support companies' P/L and we are in for a tumultuous few months, as the world digest what is happening. Economies, demographics, realpolitik & technology always change the face of our society, so are we now at the moment where the worker reclaims his and her pricing power? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Metaverse, web 3.0 and NFTs have been appearing everywhere online in the last year - but what exactly are they? And perhaps more importantly, what do their arrival mean for our daily lives? Today we try to simplify it all with the help of Tim O’Reilly Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today’s episode looks at the long & the short of Ireland’s transformation. Through a series of choices we have carved a unique place within Europe - where do we go next? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Have things really changed? Is Ireland really that different than it was? What are the personalities that have marked our history? Through a wide ranging conversation with Fintan O’Toole we explore these topics to bring the spirit of Ireland to life in an unexpected way. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today we’re bringing you a unique conversation that I had with John Collison over the weekend where I got to ask him a wide variety of questions covering innovation, crypto, macro-trends for the internet and even flying cars! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With markets gyrating all over the shop, it's easy to forget the big picture. The price of energy is the foundational price in any economy. Right now it's too high, but it will come down. And, getting it down, plus achieving net zero on carbon emissions are two of the most critical objectives for the entire globe. So how do we get enough clean energy to power the world, and bring down pollution?  Nuclear has to be on the cards and in the mix. Let's explore. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Inflation is back. Don't panic....unless you bought Bitcoin in the past year. Inflation will abate as the policy and the economy adjust, but it may take a bit of time. Plus Bloomonomics - the economics of Ulysses and it's hero Leopold Bloom - what it tells us about creating and fostering civic, mixed living cities - which are the font of most innovation, and economic growth. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As the UK celebrates the Queen Elizabeth's Jubilee, we forget that monarchies have historically sat on top of an economic system with slaves, colonies and extractive settlements, the objective of which was to steal wholesale from the colonised countries and peoples. The legacy of the colonialism runs deep in many parts of the world. This week we focus on the Caribbean, its traumatic legacy and how the money taken from there fuelled the capital markets of the 18th century and the industrial revolution. Even today, these countries are still seen as colonies in all but name. We explore the difference between "settler" states and "extractive" states and how these ideas still determine how countries progress. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The economy is changing rapidly, we are seeing challenges everywhere, almost all have to do with an excess of demand and deficient supply. This is, in the context of the past hundred years economic history, a brilliant to place to be! is But we might be looking at big developments, not just for policy, but for the coming conflict between public sectors and the governments - everywhere. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Last week president Zelensky addressed Davos asking the WEF to help Ukraine rebuild, we talk being at Davos, and why in many ways Davos Man has been involved with Russia long before the Ukraine war came along. We also hear from Bill Browder about the nature of dealing with Putin and question as to whether the West will hold strong against Putin's long game. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We focus on our closet neighbour the UK today as it turns its back on the metric system. Yes, true, you believe it? We explore why the Tories have to keep Brexit going. It's their only electoral meal ticket. Expect more "false flag" operations, more weaponizing of Northern Ireland and more jingoistic nonsense about imperial weights, miles, furlongs and the like. You never know, if we wait long enough decimalization might be gone and they'll be back to the half-crown, farthing and shilling! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Economics is energy and energy is economics. Imagine a country blessed with renewable energy, able to power itself and export electricity, faced with the opportunity to completely transform its economy and society and contribute positively to eliminating carbon emissions? That country is Ireland; and outcrop in the north Atlantic buffeted by maritime winds. When Mammy said there's great drying in that wind, she was talking about the transformative opportunity that living in a constant gale affords. Are we going to seize the wind energy chance or are we going to blow it? Listen and find out. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Markets are suffering from global contagion. Stock markets are down 22% this year. Bonds are tanking too. There are at least four if not five proximate reasons as the global economy heads towards coordinated recession. China (17% of the global economy) is at a stand still due to zero covid, the US is fighting inflation. Europe's real incomes have been squeezed by "Putinflation" and emerging markets are running out of dollars. We tease out the big picture and what it means for all of us. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today’s episode is going to be exploring the intersection between Turkey and inflation, a country that has been living for many years with what traditional metrics would call “out of control” inflation for the last few years. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Digital assets are crashing across the board, something that we’ve warned about across various episodes. Today’s chat is about what is happening & why its happening - is this going to be like the .com crash or like the sub-prime crisis (much worse). Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Swanneying around Gothenburg this week, the thought stuck me how do these people do it? Why do the Scandinavians do this so well economically, from income, to health, to women feeling safe walking alone at night, Scandinavian countries lead the way, why? Starting from a car wash analogy, we interrogate wage equality, why higher wages at the lower-end are critical to innovation and creating a more fair society - something the Scandinavian countries seem to have figured out ahead of everyone else! This week, let's take some Swedish lessons. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Imagine mortgage rates at 8%, inconceivable possibly but when you think about it not completely out of the question. Historically we've been here before. We examine the last time the interest/inflation cycle turned, what happened, who paid most and what were the long-term consequences? Buckle up for the ride. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This one’s a special one: we’re coming to you from Inis Meain, the middle island of the three Aran islands to discuss how Covid and connectivity has enhanced our ability to thrive in remote locations, how going upmarket is the way forward and how this small Irish-speaking community is preserving its (and our) roots while at the same time, adjusting to this new modern reality. Ultimately we are witnessing the death of distance, and, in the future, the more distant you are, the more you will benefit. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What is power? How is it acquired and who owns it? We look at the economics of power, the power of networks and the "strength of weak ties" and the constant historic tension between vertical power, the type deployed by Putin, and horizontal power the type sought by Musk. Plus we explore what they can both learn from the master "influencer" of the early 16th century, Martin Luther. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Economies weren’t always focused on growth, as weird as that might sound now, growth, is a relatively new concept. Today we’re joined by one of the greats: Mark Blyth, who talks to us about past & future growth rates… and how the planet plays into it. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today’s episode covers a wide range of economic headlines, from the Inis Meain 10k, the critical roll of credit unions, Macron's win, to Irish housing and what the dysfunctional markets for cars in Cuba can tell us about the equally dysfunctional Irish housing market. Hope you enjoy it...if that's the word! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

One continent has been missing from the headlines lately - Africa: they’re going through a severe debt crisis and with the current state of globalization, what happens there is going to ripple here. Join us as we break it down with David McNair Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today’s episode is split in two - we start by looking at what German cowardice & its refusal to sanction Russian gas means for both the war and the western alliance. Then we talk Twitter with Mark Little who helps us breakdown the issues thrown up by Musk's bid to take over Twitter and what it tells us about the economics of the internet. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Democracy is often accepted as a given - but it is anything but. Today we tackle the myths about democracy and immigrants to hopefully lay the blueprints for a more resilient society. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Europe usually has a 14 day supply of diesel, which is currently down to 4 days. In the coming days Russia might cut off Europe or Europe might decide to stop buying from Russia - what happens then? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today we’re joined by Doomberg to talk about the way out of our energy crisis - because energy is quite literally life.The way out of this mess might necessitate us coming to grips with the fact that we’re going to have some imperfect allies to survive. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week is all about energy - Putin’s betting Europe won't stand firm, if diesel begins to run out. The next few weeks will be crucial. We've have not seen an energy crisis like this since 1973. With inflation set to rise further and output slumping due to our ill-conceived dependence on Russian energy, it's crunch time for Europe! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We start with a breakdown of what exactly is a REIT before the conversation turns to Russia - and more specifically the multi-faceted population of Russia. Are we nearing the point where the population reminds Moscow that it doesn’t speak for the whole country? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Economics has always been about energy. When the price of energy rises, everything follows. We go to the Gulf to understand the politics of energy and Putin's calculation that an energy war will cause a Western recession, just like 1973, may well come off. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Putin has weaponized global capital and because of that action I believe that we will see investment flow towards liberal democracies, which is a massive economic opportunity for the countries that will present themselves as a safe place to use business - but we have to get inflation under control! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

China looks to have made its choice for now, and it is with Russia. This might be the most consequential decision for the world economy since the fall of the Berlin wall. Globalization is in the balance and a bipolar world of us and them, now looks likely. Why would China risk everything to bail out Putin? Thats the question. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As the war in Ukraine continues, we focus on an extraordinary city which could well be the next Russian target, Odessa. A product of commerce and an effervescent example of urban economics, Odessa is cosmopolitan, tolerant, self-reinventing, brimming of various ethnicities, home to Russian intellectual greats Pushkin, Babel, Eisenstein and Jabotinsky. Today this great city is on the frontline. We explore its economy and history, and why destroying this city is akin to destroying an idea, which is why it will be impossible. We also highlight one of the darkest and least well known atrocities of the Holocaust. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

To reach the global climate goals in 2030, we need to half our emissions, so speed is the name of the game! Join us as Eric Lonergan & Corinne Sawers talk about the steps and mindset that we need to adopt to save the planet. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Let's look at the next stage of sanctions, how they're designed and how the whole world is reacting to their implementation. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The celebrate international women’s day we ask why are women still so underrepresented in economics? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The west is fighting a new type of war - an economic war instead of a ground war. Let’s investigate what is going on & wether or not its going to work. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today we frame the invasion of Ukraine as a war against the "idea" of the EU. For Putin, Ukraine is only the start. The big prize is destabilizing the EU. So far he has miscalculated, but it's early days. We examine the Ukrainian economy, who will stand up to Putin and we chat to the brilliant Norwegian economist, Martin Sandbu of the Financial Times. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Russia has amputated a chunk of Ukraine. War is now looming in Europe. How did we end up here? Where did diplomacy go wrong? What is coming next? Today’s episode aims to simply explain the whole situation and provide some thoughts about what might happen next. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The most talked about solution to fight off inflation is interest rates - but is that blunt instrument really going to fix such a complex problem? Join us as we bring in Dario Perkins to give us his point of view. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today’s episode is a fascinating interview with Christoper Leonard who walks us through his latest book and brings to life how the FED and central banks around the world have rarely been on the side of the little guy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

All around the world people are feeling their purchasing power shrink: as inflation rises the cost of living - and indeed your real wealth - goes down. What is causing this? Is this going to continue? How do we make it go away? All that & more in today’s episode. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Crypto has captured the imagination of many as way to get rich quick - but few are able to agree or even explain what it actually is. In today’s conversation we are joined by Michael Saylor, one of the biggest bitcoin holder, to explain what it is and how you might be using it - spoiler alert: he doesn’t think it’s a currency either! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Behind every decision is human beings, who they are, how they act & where they’re from is critical to understanding the context in which any given decision is taken. In light of the announced interest rate hikes we attempt to pull back the curtain and understand who is Jerome Powell (besides the chair of the federal reserve of the United States) - because his actions in the coming year will ripple across the world Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.