457 episodes
The David McWilliams Podcast David McWilliams Podcast
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4.7 • 186 Ratings
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The aim of this weekly podcast is to make economics easy, uncomplicated and accessible. With the world at a political, technological and financial tipping point, economics has never been so important to all of us and yet, it’s made inaccessible and complicated by so many.
I’ve always thought what is complicated is rarely important and what is important is rarely complicated.
That will be our motto.
Every week we are going to tease out some big economic or political issue facing us, not just here in Ireland but in Europe and further afield. Globalisation has brought us all together. We all face similar challenges whether you live in Dublin, London, Minnesota or Milan.
If you would like to enjoy all of our content ad-free and have early access to episodes, subscribe to DMCW+ on Apple Podcast.
If you would like to support the show, please consider becoming a patron at www.patreon.com/DavidMcWilliams.
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2024:36 Smoked Cod & Chips: The Story of Italians in Ireland
In the vibrant tapestry of Irish history, the Italian influence threads through more than just the culinary delights of chippers. James Joyce was quick to recognize this connection, drawing inspiration from encounters with real-life Italian organ grinder Leopoldo Minetti, who famously inspired the character of Gerty MacDowell in Ulysses. This week, the podcast explores the captivating journey of Italian immigrants to Ireland, tracing the roots of one of the country's earliest immigrant communities. Hailing predominantly from three villages in Lazio, Italy, these immigrants brought with them a rich cultural heritage that has profoundly shaped Irish society. Join us as we uncover the untold tales of resilience, integration, and the enduring bond between Ireland and Italy.
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2024:35 The Political Fallout of Housing
This podcast delves into the intricate interplay of politics and housing, a phenomenon not unique to Ireland but deeply emblematic there. It examines how the control, or lack thereof, of housing can shape political fortunes. From Ireland to Britain, Canada to Australia, the "politics of housing" is a pivotal and global issue, particularly for younger generations. While Eastern European countries, with reasonable house prices, see happier young populations, Ireland faces a crisis where housing benefits foreign investors over its own citizens. The failure to understand this has left the current political class out of touch and in a precarious position, highlighting the need for a reform. So it may be time to grab your pitchfork! Join the gang! https://plus.acast.com/s/the-david-mcwilliams-podcast.
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2024:34 Istanbul: The Centre of our World
In part two of our mini-series on Turkey, we delve deeper into the electrifying economic history of Istanbul, from the Byzantine to the Ottoman empires and up to today. We explore how these empires sent shockwaves through history, shaping the world as we know it. Without the Ottomans, Columbus might never have discovered America, there'd be possibly no Renaissance, no dominance of Europe, no humanism. And what about Attaturk? The most impressive leader of the 20th century? Hope you enjoy it. Join the gang! https://plus.acast.com/s/the-david-mcwilliams-podcast.
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2024:33 The Future is Turkish!
This is the first of 2 podcasts on Turkey following a quick visit to Istanbul where the inflation rate is currently at 69% annually, and the currency, the Lira, is on a devaluation spiral, but might this financial crisis be the event to kickstart economic, political and regional change. Amidst rising tensions in the Middle East and with Hamas' chief in talks in Ankara with Erdogan, Turkey finds itself in a potentially influential position as a regional powerbroker. Could Turkey be on the brink of redemption? With its strategic location bridging Europe and Asia and its historical ties to the Middle East, Turkey could potentially play a pivotal role in resolving the ongoing conflict. As traditional alliances in the region shift, Turkey's assertive foreign policy and military capabilities position it as a key player in mediating disputes and fostering stability Join the gang! https://plus.acast.com/s/the-david-mcwilliams-podcast.
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2024:32 Humanomics
The majority of my tribe, economists have been getting it wrong for decades, if you go back and look at economic research from the seventies, nobody is talking about coming inequality. Yet inequality afflicts the West, dominating politics. This week, in a not-so-groundbreaking revelation, Ben Bernanke's report on the Bank of England's failures shows us how out-of-touch economists really are. Economists need to get out more, mix a bit, walkabout more! A blind faith in mathematical precision has clouded our judgment. Humans are messy and economics is about humans, so let's be messy.
Pre-order Money:A Story of Humanity here: https://linktr.ee/moneydavidmcwilliams
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2024:31 What Elon's travails tell us about the New Cold War?
Elon Musk is to 2024 what Howard Roark was to 1943. In Ayn Rand's book Fountainhead, her hero Roark was brilliant, single-minded and flawed. Musk is a modern day Roark and yet despite his remarkable entrepreneurial success, from SpaceX to Neuralink, Tesla is on the skids. 10% of its workforce has just been fired and it's share price has dropped 30% since January, and its market share is dwindling in China. Musk's investments in China have also led to wholesale intellectual property theft. Standing back, Tesla's tribulations could be a microcosm of broader geopolitical tensions of trade disputes and intellectual property wars. The world is looking at the Mid East, the China/America rivalry echoes previous clashes Join the gang! https://plus.acast.com/s/the-david-mcwilliams-podcast.
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Customer Reviews
Educational and witty
I started listening to this podcast over the Summer and got hooked. I listen while out walking and do get odd looks when I guffaw at something David or John come out with. Nevertheless the economic discussions (which attracted me in the first place) are conducted in clear language and particularly well intertwined with the politics of the day.
Pippa Milgram not truthful
I generally find this podcast helpful and educational, if a bit behind the times on economics with a strong neoliberal bent (for example, GDP as the be-all and end-all and the appropriate way to measure growth in all cases). But this episode with Pippa Milgram was totally off the rails. They let her just flat out lie about Robert Kennedy Jr without any challenge at all. For example she says he isn’t anti vaccine just against “vaccines that haven’t been tested.” This is demonstrably false in almost every single one of his public statements simply because there is no such thing as an “untested” vaccine. She implies the Covid vaccines have shown many problems with wide use and this is completely not supported by the data. She also claims RFK Jr is being funded by small dollar donors which is also not true - he has received huge amounts of money from some of the richest donors in the business. This was very deceptive and disappointing to platform this woman telling falsehoods and misleading with regards to a major election in the US - this kind of uncritical platforming and allowing someone to simply flat out lie with no push back at all is pretty shocking. Please do better
Love this podcast but there is no diversity
I love this podcast so much. I learn something new with each listen, and the banter between David and John is gas. It’s disappointing that they don’t feature more guests who aren’t men though.