Rear Vision — How History Shaped Today

ABC

Move beyond the headlines to see how the past defines our world.

  1. 2D AGO

    From bicycles to “build your dreams” — how China conquered the global car market

    Only a few decades ago China was known as the land of the bicycle – today it’s an automotive goliath. The PRC is now the world’s biggest car manufacturer and exporter. It also has the largest domestic car market. We explore how it achieved such a dramatic turnaround in only a few short decades. And what role European and American car makers inadvertently played in creating a super rival.  Guests:  Ilaria Mazzocco – Chinese business and economic expert, Center for Strategic and International Studies  Dr Tessa Thorniley – freelance business journalist  Zeyi Yang – technology journalist and senior writer, WIRED  Mike Colias – Us Autos Editor, Reuters

    29 min

  2. JAN 30

    Controlling global oil — the backstory

    Since the start of the 20th century, oil has been the lifeblood of global development. Today, the story behind oil — and the politics of supplying oil and denying oil.

    30 min

  3. JAN 23

    Weaponised trade and a return to gunboat diplomacy

    From sanctions to tariffs to seizing oil fields — it feels like we've entered a new age of economic warfare. But experts say we're really just returning to the past. To the time before the rules-based international order was established at the end of the Second World War. Gunboat diplomacy it seems is once again de rigueur. Guests William Alan Reinsch — Senior advisor, Center for Strategic and International Studies Saadia Zahidid — Economist and Managing Director of the World Economic Forum Markus Jaeger — Adjunct professor, International and Public Affairs, Columbia SIPA Abraham Newman — Professor of Government, Georgetown University. Author of Underground Empire: How America Weaponized the World Economy (Holt/Penguin 2023) Hugo Slim — Senior Research Fellow, Institute for Ethics, Law and Armed Conflict, University of Oxford

    30 min

  4. JAN 19

    The story of Iran, a CIA Coup, a Revolution and the turbulent history that followed

    For just over three weeks huge street protests have swept across Iran and threatened to topple The Islamic Republic regime of Iran. The regime has responded with a brutal crackdown on dissent and imposing a total internet blackout. President Donald Trump has urges Iranians to keep protesting and has promised that 'help is on its way'. So how should we understand what’s happening in Iran and why does President Trump care so much. In this podcast extra we trace the story of Iran from the 1953 CIA coup that overthrow the democratically elected government of Mohammad Mosaddegh and ushered in the rule of the Shah through to the events that lead to the 1979 Iranian Revolution that ousted the Shah and the return of the Ayatollah, and finally, Iran post 1979 and the role that Iranian women have played in resisting the rule of the Ayatollahs.

    1h 21m

  5. JAN 18

    Donald Trump and the wrecking ball: The end of the world as we know it

    Is the liberal international rules-based order – that has underpinned international relations for the past 80 years - about to collapse. The United States once its greatest champion is withdrawing funding from hundreds of international organisations, and at the same time unending the global economy by imposing of tariffs across the board. What might this mean for global security, and the global economy and can we blame Donald Trump and his wrecking ball or are there deeper forces at play?

    29 min

  6. JAN 11

    Not so tolerant Allies: The story of Canada and the United States

    President Trump not only want to make America great, he also wants to make it bigger and incorporating Canada as the 51st state would certainly do that – except for the fact that Canada is a sovereign nation. The story of Canada and the United States and why President Trump wants to turn Canada into the 51st States of the Union.

    29 min

  7. JAN 4

    Greenland Donald Trump and the politics of empire

    President Trump wants to buy or take control of Greenland from Denmark. But Denmark has made very clear, they don’t have the right to sell Greenland because Greenland is owned by the people of Greenland.  Donald Trump is not the first US president to try and buy Greenland. The story of Greenland and America’s many attempts to gain control of the largest island on the planet.

    29 min

  8. 12/28/2025

    Finland: A mad prepper nation or a role model for all small to medium democracies

    As the world becomes an increasingly dangerous and uncertain place – how prepared are we in Australia to face these new challenges?  This week on Rear Vision the story of one nation that take security and preparedness very seriously – Finland

    29 min
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Move beyond the headlines to see how the past defines our world.

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