Economics Explained
235 episodes - English - Latest episode: 9 days ago -On Economics Explained, we take a look at interesting countries, policies, and decisions from the point of view of an economist. The world is an interesting place and we hope to uncover some of this intrigue in our short, informative podcasts.
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Episodes
The Failing Economy of Pakistan
April 16, 2024 18:25 - 19 minutesPakistan's economy has recently come under pressure due to high levels of debt, currency devaluation, floods, and high prices for imported food and energy. So how bad are things likely to get and what are the possible solutions? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Why Bangladesh Won't Be The Next China
April 08, 2024 11:00 - 14 minutesBangladesh has a troubled past, but it has been in a great position to grow dramatically in much the same way that its neighbour China has done in the recent past. Bangladesh is still a highly labour intensive market which makes it a great place to get T-shirts made, but a number of factors have made it painfully slow to develop beyond that. Could Bangladesh change things to become the next China? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Do Bank Failures Always Cause Recessions? (SVB)
April 05, 2024 12:00 - 18 minutesLast year's banking crisis in Silicon Valley, where three banks including Silicon Valley Bank failed, caused bank runs and put pressure on other banks like Credit Suisse. This is reminiscent of past US banking disasters such as the Great Depression and the 2008 recession. Many economists predict that more banks around the world will face similar pressures, so what are the causes and potential consequences of these failures? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Has The EU Actually Been Good For Europe?
April 03, 2024 04:00 - 14 minutesHead to https://factormeals.com/eep50 and use code eep50 to get 50% off. The EU, a unique economic giant, acts similarly to the US federal government, hinting at a "United States of Europe" with its shared currency, policies, and trade deals among 27 states. Despite its near-federal structure, it lacks some federation benefits, posing issues for its members. With a $20 trillion output, second only to the USA, it wields significant global influence. However, its major economies face stagnant g...
How Zimbabwe's Lithium Export Ban Could Transform it into Africa's Next Superpower
March 30, 2024 20:05 - 18 minutesZimbabwe has not had the best past economically speaking. But what they do have is as much as 20% of the world's demand for lithium, the biggest deposits in Africa. So now that the raw lithium export ban has kicked in, and refining operations have started in Zimbabwe itself, will the country gain a massive advantage by exporting this incredibly necessary component of computers, electric cars and the internet? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Why We Can’t Just Stop Oil
March 25, 2024 16:46 - 15 minutesOil and GDP are closely linked together, with the more oil consumed by a country generally meaning the higher the GDP of that country. With that said, energy costs of solar, wind and other technologies have come down substantially in recent decades meaning that "clean" solar power is actually one of the cheapest ways to generate electricity over its lifespan. So why haven't we switched completely over to solar? Well, it's not that easy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adc...
Somalia is a Surprisingly Functional Anarchy
March 21, 2024 08:25 - 16 minutesHead to https://factormeals.com/eep50 and use code eep50 to get 50% off. In this video we delve into Somalia's perilous economic situation after the government collapse in 1991, and reform in 2012. How are international relations, is there potential for recovery, and what lessons can we learn from this extreme economy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Why Greece Is Suddenly Doing Really Well
March 18, 2024 12:00 - 16 minutesGreece became infamous for their economic stagnation following adoption of the Euro and subsequent over-spending and debt accumulation. But in recent years their economy has been improving and, while it isn't out of the woods yet, there have definitely been big improvements that are worth celebrating. Are they still broke, or will Greece's economy be an example to others how to recover from financial meltdown? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
USA Outgrows China… Because of Florida?
March 15, 2024 12:00 - 16 minutesFlorida is growing... fast. Actually faster than most other states, which is astounding given that it is already the fourth largest state economy in the US. This might sound like great news for Floridians and the USA at large, but is there a hidden cost behind Florida's rapid growth? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The City That Built America
March 11, 2024 16:00 - 16 minutesThere is perhaps no city more iconic in the world than New York City. But how does the economy of the incredibly densely packed and often struggling city survive now, and will this be the case for years to come? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Will All Cities End Up Like Detroit?
March 08, 2024 12:00 - 14 minutesWhat caused Detroit to lose 60% of it's population since 1950 and is there a way to help residents and industries in shrinking cities to have a better quality of life and work? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Germany's Unexpected Economic Crisis
March 04, 2024 14:15 - 14 minutes"Made in Germany" carries with ti a kind of prestige, and a marker of quality. Germany is famous for it's incredible engineering and manufacturing talent, but more and more this is becoming a thing of the past as overseas manufacturers start to build up their centres, and can produce on a scale that Germany just can't keep up with. Is this crisis going to end German manufacturing? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
MIT Study Reveals Why Africa Is Still Poor
March 02, 2024 12:00 - 20 minutesAfrica is the poorest continent in the world. There are, as always, a lot of factors to consider as to why that is the case, but recently Daron Acemoglu and James A. Robinson from MIT have released a study detailing the surprising bigger factors in why Africa still struggles to build wealth despite massive amounts of incoming aid and charity work trying to improve the lives of people there. So what are the reasons why much of Africa can't seem to get out of poverty? Learn more about your ad c...
Why Africa Is Still Poor - Exclusive Interview with Daron Acemoglu
February 27, 2024 13:57 - 54 minutesWe were lucky enough to talk with Prof. Asemoglu of MIT about why Africa lags economically despite so much aid and resources being pumped into the country each year. From the impact of institutions to the legacy of policies, we talked about the reasons behind the continent's challenges and the potential paths forward that might actually help improve living conditions in African nations within our lifetimes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Why Canada Can't Solve It's Population Problem with Immigration
February 26, 2024 13:00 - 14 minutesCanada has gone through a lot in the last 10 years, and one of the biggest problems is the price of housing. Canadian cities are in such a small area of the country's landmass and housing construction has not kept up with the population, so housing prices have skyrocketed. Canada now finds itself in a bit of a population trap, where they can't afford to keep bringing in more people and put even more strain on housing, but they also can't afford not to. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit ...
Lebanon Lost Half Its Economy In 2 Years
February 23, 2024 23:18 - 16 minutesWhat led to Lebanon's devastating economic crisis, causing a shrinking population and half of its GDP to vanish? Why did it collapse, and what are the implications for other developing nations facing similar challenges? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Eritrea Is the Worst Economy on Earth
February 15, 2024 13:00 - 17 minutesWe've talked about some incredibly poor countries on this channel before, but perhaps nothing as bad as the small East African country of Eritrea. This country is a complete military dictatorship, and has been called the North Korea of Africa. There are no free markets. No trading partners. Their debt to GDP ratio runs very high for one reason only: their country is in a critical region of the world for international shipping. But life really couldn't be much worse in Eritrea. Learn more abou...
Is Capitalism Inevitable?
February 10, 2024 11:00 - 16 minutesCapitalism is the system that has helped the world become infinitely more wealthy than it has ever been in human history, but there are problems. A disregard for the drawbacks of production like waste, pollution and inequality are often cited by people who want capitalism to be replaced by social democracy, communism or even anarchy. But even communist countries like the USSR and China have reluctantly returned to capitalism. So, is capitalism inevitable? Learn more about your ad choices. Vi...
What Does the World Economic Forum Really Do?
February 07, 2024 11:39 - 12 minutesThe Davos Summit of the World Economic Forum (WEF) draws a lot of attention every year. Started by German engineer Klaus Schwab, the WEF the stated mission to "engage business, political, academic and other leaders of society to shape global, regional and industry agendas.” It's no wonder there are a lot of conspiracy hypotheses about the real motivations of such an organisation. But despite their image as the club of the wealthy elites, the reality is much less sinister, but could somehow be...
The Rather Pathetic Economy of the Roman Empire
February 03, 2024 14:00 - 16 minutesApparently us guys think about the Roman Empire 5 times a day, but from an economic Perspective it's hard to see why. While they did build a lot of architectural monuments, their economy was actually rather pathetic by almost all metrics. Why was Rome, which had a large empire and notoriety throughout Europe for millennia after its demise, actually a very weak economy? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The Real Problem With the World Economic Forum
February 01, 2024 10:00 - 12 minutesThe Davos Summit of the World Economic Forum (WEF) draws a lot of attention every year. Started by German engineer Klaus Schwab, the WEF the stated mission to "engage business, political, academic and other leaders of society to shape global, regional and industry agendas.” It's no wonder there are a lot of conspiracy hypotheses about the real motivations of such an organisation. But despite their image as the club of the wealthy elites, the reality is much less sinister, but could somehow be...
France Could Be Heading for Economic Collapse
January 29, 2024 18:00 - 19 minutesFrance's problems arguably go back 200 years to their slow and steady approach to adopting industrialisation. While many other countries can learn from France's strong protection for workers' rights, at the moment this has made France a very uncompetitive country with some of the worst brain drain across the EU. Why work in France for lower wages when they can make so much more in the UK, Germany and the US. Is France stuck at just being the place with fancy handbags and perfumes, or can it c...
What Would Happen if North and South Korea Reunite
January 26, 2024 10:06 - 20 minutesThere is no more deadly area in the world than the DMZ between North and South Korea. Millions of mines, guns and surveillance prevent anyone from crossing. But if tensions were to somehow stop and North and South Korea reunite into one country, it would still be almost impossible to combine their economies. Why would we not be able to use the lessons learned by the reunification of East and West Germany? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Something Weird Is Happening In Japan
January 12, 2024 13:41 - 18 minutesJapan's economy has been stagnant for 2 decades, and while some economists look at this as an outlier, it might be something that just happens to all advanced economies, and Japan just got there first. After suffering the "lost generation", can Japan come back and recover growth, or is their fate one we will all eventually reach?
Japan's Rise and Fall... And Rise Again?
January 12, 2024 13:41 - 19 minutesJapan's economy has been stagnant for 2 decades, and while some economists look at this as an outlier, it might be something that just happens to all advanced economies, and Japan just got there first. After suffering the "lost generation", can Japan come back and recover growth, or is their fate one we will all eventually reach? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Australia Should Be Poor. Why Isn’t It?
January 09, 2024 13:24 - 19 minutesAustralia's biggest export is natural resources, and as we have talked about on the channel many times, this isn't always a great thing for an economy. Resources don't provide much value to the local economy, especially in Australia where mines are thousands of miles from residential centres, and they don't employ all that many people for the massive wealth they create. Australia lags far behind technological centres like the US, but somehow has a strong economy. How has it done this and what...
Australia Should Be Poor. Why Isn't It?
January 09, 2024 13:24 - 17 minutesAustralia's biggest export is natural resources, and as we have talked about on the channel many times, this isn't always a great thing for an economy. Resources don't provide much value to the local economy, especially in Australia where mines are thousands of miles from residential centres, and they don't employ all that many people for the massive wealth they create. Australia lags far behind technological centres like the US, but somehow has a strong economy. How has it done this and what...
Texas Will Not Be the Next California
December 30, 2023 15:00 - 13 minutesWhile California is famous for its industries, Texas has so many incredible advantages and opportunities that it could one day overtake the biggest state economy in the US. What possible issues could affect the rapidly growing Texan economy, and what could its future look like? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Texas Will Not Be The Next California
December 30, 2023 15:00 - 11 minutesWhile California is famous for its industries, Texas has so many incredible advantages and opportunities that it could one day overtake the biggest state economy in the US. What possible issues could affect the rapidly growing Texan economy, and what could its future look like?
Will The EU Fail?
December 28, 2023 11:00 - 16 minutesLinkedIn Jobs helps you find the qualified candidates you want to talk to, faster. Post your job for free at https://www.linkedin.com/ee. Terms and conditions apply. The EU represents the third largest economy globally, with a population of 447 million people and 20 member states. Its five largest countries are Germany, France, Italy, Spain, and Poland. However, the EU faces several significant economic challenges, including the debt crisis, Brexit, and tensions with major energy s...
The Economy of the UK Is in Serious Trouble
December 26, 2023 11:00 - 16 minutesLinkedIn Jobs helps you find the qualified candidates you want to talk to, faster. Post your job for free at https://www.linkedin.com/ee. Terms and conditions apply. There's a reason we include confidence and stability on our National Leaderboard. It might not be an easily measurable economic metric, but it can have a massive effect on a national economy. If people don't have confidence that a country is in good hands and will be managed well into the future, then they will stop inve...
The Economy of the UK Is In Serious Trouble
December 26, 2023 11:00 - 16 minutesLinkedIn Jobs helps you find the qualified candidates you want to talk to, faster. Post your job for free at https://www.linkedin.com/ee. Terms and conditions apply. There's a reason we include confidence and stability on our National Leaderboard. It might not be an easily measurable economic metric, but it can have a massive effect on a national economy. If people don't have confidence that a country is in good hands and will be managed well into the future, then they will stop inve...
Did the “Perfect Economy” Just Get Better?
December 23, 2023 12:05 - 24 minutesLinkedIn Jobs helps you find the qualified candidates you want to talk to, faster. Post your job for free at https://www.linkedin.com/ee. Terms and conditions apply. The first video we did on this channel was about Norway, a country that has some of the wealthiest citizens in the world, as well as incredible economic management. They avoided the Dutch disease when they discovered offshore oil, but now they have discovered the world's largest reserves of phosphates. Could this strategic...
Did The “Perfect Economy” Just Get Better?
December 23, 2023 12:05 - 24 minutesLinkedIn Jobs helps you find the qualified candidates you want to talk to, faster. Post your job for free at https://www.linkedin.com/ee. Terms and conditions apply. The first video we did on this channel was about Norway, a country that has some of the wealthiest citizens in the world, as well as incredible economic management. They avoided the Dutch disease when they discovered offshore oil, but now they have discovered the world's largest reserves of phosphates. Could this strategic...
Why Economists Should Avoid Politics
December 20, 2023 13:00 - 7 minutesCheck out our new YouTube Channel Context Matters: https://www.youtube.com/@context.matters The consequences of politicising economics can be deep and long lasting. We would all like to think that economists focus on data and remove the personal and political from their studies, but we are not naive enough to believe this is true. Politicians want to get elected, and economists want to bolster their careers. So what can happen when the people who are supposed to be studying and looking after...
Something Terrible Is Happening in Italy
December 18, 2023 12:12 - 19 minutesItaly is in trouble... but this doesn't seem to be a new thing. With mountainous protection from the north and great trade connections through the Mediterranean sea, Italy has been in an ideal geographic position that has benefitted the country economically for millennia. After a decade of stagnation, can Italy boom like it has in the past, or is this time different? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Can Corruption Be Good for the Economy?
December 08, 2023 11:30 - 8 minutesWe all know that corruption is a bad thing. People in government or the public sector using their position to personally enrich themselves is a form of stealing, but in some situations this can actually help to grow an economy. But in what situations, and how long can corruption continue to grow an economy once it becomes more developed? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Can Corruption Be Good For The Economy?
December 08, 2023 11:30 - 8 minutesWe all know that corruption is a bad thing. People in government or the public sector using their position to personally enrich themselves is a form of stealing, but in some situations this can actually help to grow an economy. But in what situations, and how long can corruption continue to grow an economy once it becomes more developed?
Bhutan: The Country That Doesn't Want To Be Rich
December 05, 2023 11:07 - 14 minutesMost countries really want to bring in tourists for the big infusion of money into the local economy. But Bhutan makes it incredibly expensive to visit, and bans all visitors from climbing the parts of the Himalayan mountains that are within their borders. Why? Do they just want to protect their culture from tourists, with the hotels, photo spots and trouble that comes with them? And does make the people happier?
Bhutan: The Country That Doesn’t Want to Be Rich
December 05, 2023 11:07 - 15 minutesMost countries really want to bring in tourists for the big infusion of money into the local economy. But Bhutan makes it incredibly expensive to visit, and bans all visitors from climbing the parts of the Himalayan mountains that are within their borders. Why? Do they just want to protect their culture from tourists, with the hotels, photo spots and trouble that comes with them? And does make the people happier? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Economics Is the Deadliest Science
December 04, 2023 14:00 - 16 minutesIf unintended consequences aren't considered, there can be a real and deadly trade-off between economic benefit and human wellbeing. Making poor policy decisions that may seem like economic opportunities can and have lead to famines, economic collapse and people losing their livelihoods, homes and lives. This is why economics is so important, and poor economic decision making can literally be fatal for millions of people. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Economics Is The Deadliest Science
December 04, 2023 14:00 - 14 minutes - 13.2 MBIf unintended consequences aren't considered, there can be a real and deadly trade-off between economic benefit and human wellbeing. Making poor policy decisions that may seem like economic opportunities can and have lead to famines, economic collapse and people losing their livelihoods, homes and lives. This is why economics is so important, and poor economic decision making can literally be fatal for millions of people.
Is South Korea’s Economic Bubble About to Burst?
November 30, 2023 14:30 - 16 minutesWe're exploring South Korea's impressive economic transformation, from an agrarian backwater to a global powerhouse. Home to internationally recognized companies and cutting-edge industries, South Korea is a fascinating case study for economists worldwide. In this video, we'll examine the drivers of South Korea's potential growth in the next decade, the obstacles that could undermine its entire economic system, and why this is all so important for the rest of us outside South Korea for our ow...
Is South Korea's Economic Bubble About to Burst?
November 30, 2023 14:30 - 15 minutesWe're exploring South Korea's impressive economic transformation, from an agrarian backwater to a global powerhouse. Home to internationally recognized companies and cutting-edge industries, South Korea is a fascinating case study for economists worldwide. In this video, we'll examine the drivers of South Korea's potential growth in the next decade, the obstacles that could undermine its entire economic system, and why this is all so important for the rest of us outside South Korea for our ow...
The Controversial 2023 Nobel Prize Explained (Gender Pay Gap)
November 27, 2023 14:00 - 13 minutesWe've avoided talking about the gender pay gap for a long time because, frankly, it's an emotional topic. But this year's Nobel Prize in Economics (Sveriges Riksbank Prize) was awarded to Claudia Goldin for her work explaining the gender pay gap using historical data and taking the emotion out of the equation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Why Argentina Is Doomed To Fail Over and Over Again
November 23, 2023 14:00 - 15 minutesArgentina's prosperity used to rival the US, but now it is bouncing between economic highs and lows. In just decades, it's seen rapid growth and dire crashes five times. What keeps derailing this nation's economy, and can it break the cycle, and what can we learn from their unique economic situation?
Why Argentina Is Doomed to Fail Over and Over Again
November 23, 2023 14:00 - 17 minutesArgentina's prosperity used to rival the US, but now it is bouncing between economic highs and lows. In just decades, it's seen rapid growth and dire crashes five times. What keeps derailing this nation's economy, and can it break the cycle, and what can we learn from their unique economic situation? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
China’s Crumbling Economic Story
November 20, 2023 17:56 - 17 minutesDeng Xiaoping's reforms in the 80s transformed Shenzhen, a small town near Hong Kong, into an economic powerhouse. China's rapid growth lifted millions from poverty but did it grow too quickly to be sustainable? Now China faces deflation, and experts are worried that this could spell the end of the economic miracle. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Is Poland The New Economic Powerhouse of Europe?
November 08, 2023 09:23 - 18 minutesPoland defies European economic trends by having one of the fastest-growing economies on the continent. While many European nations face stagnation, Poland shines, even outperforming its former Soviet counterparts, including resource-rich Russia. Despite historical challenges and its unique geopolitical situation, Poland's success offers insights for struggling economies worldwide, although it faces hurdles ahead.
Is Poland the New Economic Powerhouse of Europe?
November 08, 2023 09:23 - 19 minutesPoland defies European economic trends by having one of the fastest-growing economies on the continent. While many European nations face stagnation, Poland shines, even outperforming its former Soviet counterparts, including resource-rich Russia. Despite historical challenges and its unique geopolitical situation, Poland's success offers insights for struggling economies worldwide, although it faces hurdles ahead. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices