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What kind of state does the UK find itself in as we start 2026? That's the question Tim Harford and the More or Less team is trying to answer in a series of five special programmes.In the final episode, we're looking at the numbers behind some of the UK's most potent political debates:Has 98% of the UK's population growth come from immigration?Do we spend more on benefits in the UK than in other high-income countries?Is the gap between rich and poor growing?Get in touch if you've seen a number in the news you think we should take a look at: moreorless@bbc.co.ukContributors:Madeleine Sumption, Director of the Migration Observatory at Oxford University Lukas Lehner, Assistant Professor at the University of Edinburgh Arun Advani, Director of the Centre for the Analysis of Taxation and a Professor of Economics at the University of Warwick. Alex Scholes, Research Director at NatCenCredits:Presenter: Tim Harford Producers: Lizzy McNeill, Nathan Gower, Katie Solleveld and Charlotte McDonald Series producer: Tom Colls Production co-ordinator: Maria Ogundele Sound mix: Sarah Hockley and James Beard Editor: Richard Vadon
Canadian journalist Nora Loreto reads the latest headlines for Friday, January 9, 2026.TRNN has partnered with Loreto to syndicate and share her daily news digest with our audience. Tune in every morning to the TRNN podcast feed to hear the latest important news stories from Canada and worldwide.Find more headlines from Nora at Sandy & Nora Talk Politics podcast feed.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-real-news-podcast--2952221/support.Help us continue producing radically independent news and in-depth analysis by following us and becoming a monthly sustainer.Follow us on:Bluesky: @therealnews.comFacebook: The Real News NetworkTwitter: @TheRealNewsYouTube: @therealnewsInstagram: @therealnewsnetworkBecome a member and join the Supporters Club for The Real News Podcast today!
On this week's Political Breakfast, Democratic strategist Tharon Johnson, Republican strategist Brian Robinson and host Lisa Rayam return LIVE and wish our listeners a happy new year! Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens was sworn into his second term on Monday, along with all members of the Atlanta City Council. The crowd also heard from newly sworn-in Atlanta City Council President Marci Collier Overstreet. Plus, we cover what's potentially next for Georgia's former Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene. The Republican resigned from her conservative northwest Georgia district. Her last day was Monday. This past weekend, Greene continued to speak out against President Donald Trump -- criticizing the U.S. capturing of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. Greene was once one of Trump's most loyal supporters, but split with him on issues including his initial stance on the release of the Epstein files and on foreign affairs. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The Yaron Brook Show
Renue Healthcare https://Renue.Healthcare/ToddYour journey to a better life starts at Renue Healthcare. Visit https://Renue.Healthcare/Todd Bulwark Capital https://KnowYourRiskPodcast.comBe confident in your portfolio with Bulwark! Schedule your free Know Your Risk Portfolio review. Go to KnowYourRiskPodcast.com today. Alan's Soaps https://www.AlansArtisanSoaps.comUse coupon code TODD to save an additional 10% off the bundle price.Bonefrog https://BonefrogCoffee.com/ToddThe new GOLDEN AGE is here! Use code TODD at checkout to receive 10% off your first purchase and 15% on subscriptions.LISTEN and SUBSCRIBE at:The Todd Herman Show - Podcast - Apple PodcastsThe Todd Herman Show | Podcast on SpotifyWATCH and SUBSCRIBE at: Todd Herman - The Todd Herman Show - YouTubeThere is a father who is, and should be, charged with child torture. There's a savage inequality to this when you follow the story to its conclusion…Episode Links:Father faces child torture charges after 'nightmare' hike in Big Cottonwood Canyon“Do not do this, you are going to have a lifetime of pain & suffering” - We spoke to a de-transitioner last night who received breast implants & chest reconstruction when he was 19. Abel urged trans youth to avoid “gender affirming surgery” at all costWATCH: Rep. Ayanna Pressley compares taxpayer-funded sex changes for kids to "a broken bone or fall off a bike." "I don't know what G-d y'all pray too!"De-transitioner Luke Healy testified in the CA Capitol on AB 932 which would permit Community Athletic Programs that allow boys to participate in girls' sports to use school properties - thus violating Title IX. "God calls us by our names, the devil calls us by our sin." Hear de-transitioner and recent catholic convert @cancelwok3 tell her incredible story at Mar-a-LagoRFK Jr: "When my uncle was president, the fertility rate in this country was 3.5%. Today it is 1.6%. The amount of fertility you need to keep your population is 2.1%. We are below replacement. That is a national security threat to our country."
Faith in the American Dream—the idea that anyone who works hard can achieve success—has waned in the 21st century. Decreases in economic mobility, increases in the wealth gap, and other economic shifts have undoubtedly influenced this decline. Politics, however, are an overlooked contributor to confidence, or lack of confidence, in the American Dream. In Debating the American Dream: How Explanations for Inequality Polarize Politics (Russell Sage Foundation, 2025), political scientist Elizabeth Suhay investigates how politics and political identity are intertwined with beliefs about the American Dream and the causes of inequality. Drawing on public opinion surveys spanning more than four decades, Suhay finds that Americans' belief in the American Dream is strongly related to their political party affiliation. Democratic Party leaders have increasingly questioned the fairness of the American economy, and, in effect, have called into question whether the American Dream is “real.” Republican Party leaders, by contrast, have consistently defended the fairness of the economy and the American Dream. While it is true that Americans have become more skeptical of the American Dream overall, Suhay finds this skepticism is concentrated among Democratic members of the public. Despite the increasingly working-class make-up of the Republican coalition, most Republican members of the public continue to believe the American Dream is reality. Suhay finds that both Democrats and Republicans tend to adhere to their party's economic narratives when identifying the causes of inequality between rich and poor, White and Black and Latino Americans, and men and women. Democrats and liberals often attribute inequality between these groups to societal causes, such as lack of access to education and jobs or discrimination. Republicans and conservatives, on the other hand, are more likely to blame individuals and lower income groups for their difficulties. However, Americans' beliefs are less polarized when they consider socioeconomic inequalities rarely debated by politicians. For example, when asking Republicans and Democrats about the roots of rural-urban and White-Asian inequality, there is no clear unequal opportunity-individual responsibility partisan divide. Suhay argues that the availability of partisan “scripts” helps to explain differences in the public's views on inequality between groups that have been politicized. These beliefs appear to bolster support for the two parties' policy agendas among party supporters, driving a wedge between Democrats and Republicans in support for redistributive economic policy as well as the political candidates who support or oppose redistribution. Debating the American Dream provides fascinating insights into politics' role in Americans' beliefs and attitudes concerning inequality. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network
Faith in the American Dream—the idea that anyone who works hard can achieve success—has waned in the 21st century. Decreases in economic mobility, increases in the wealth gap, and other economic shifts have undoubtedly influenced this decline. Politics, however, are an overlooked contributor to confidence, or lack of confidence, in the American Dream. In Debating the American Dream: How Explanations for Inequality Polarize Politics (Russell Sage Foundation, 2025), political scientist Elizabeth Suhay investigates how politics and political identity are intertwined with beliefs about the American Dream and the causes of inequality. Drawing on public opinion surveys spanning more than four decades, Suhay finds that Americans' belief in the American Dream is strongly related to their political party affiliation. Democratic Party leaders have increasingly questioned the fairness of the American economy, and, in effect, have called into question whether the American Dream is “real.” Republican Party leaders, by contrast, have consistently defended the fairness of the economy and the American Dream. While it is true that Americans have become more skeptical of the American Dream overall, Suhay finds this skepticism is concentrated among Democratic members of the public. Despite the increasingly working-class make-up of the Republican coalition, most Republican members of the public continue to believe the American Dream is reality. Suhay finds that both Democrats and Republicans tend to adhere to their party's economic narratives when identifying the causes of inequality between rich and poor, White and Black and Latino Americans, and men and women. Democrats and liberals often attribute inequality between these groups to societal causes, such as lack of access to education and jobs or discrimination. Republicans and conservatives, on the other hand, are more likely to blame individuals and lower income groups for their difficulties. However, Americans' beliefs are less polarized when they consider socioeconomic inequalities rarely debated by politicians. For example, when asking Republicans and Democrats about the roots of rural-urban and White-Asian inequality, there is no clear unequal opportunity-individual responsibility partisan divide. Suhay argues that the availability of partisan “scripts” helps to explain differences in the public's views on inequality between groups that have been politicized. These beliefs appear to bolster support for the two parties' policy agendas among party supporters, driving a wedge between Democrats and Republicans in support for redistributive economic policy as well as the political candidates who support or oppose redistribution. Debating the American Dream provides fascinating insights into politics' role in Americans' beliefs and attitudes concerning inequality. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/american-studies
Faith in the American Dream—the idea that anyone who works hard can achieve success—has waned in the 21st century. Decreases in economic mobility, increases in the wealth gap, and other economic shifts have undoubtedly influenced this decline. Politics, however, are an overlooked contributor to confidence, or lack of confidence, in the American Dream. In Debating the American Dream: How Explanations for Inequality Polarize Politics (Russell Sage Foundation, 2025), political scientist Elizabeth Suhay investigates how politics and political identity are intertwined with beliefs about the American Dream and the causes of inequality. Drawing on public opinion surveys spanning more than four decades, Suhay finds that Americans' belief in the American Dream is strongly related to their political party affiliation. Democratic Party leaders have increasingly questioned the fairness of the American economy, and, in effect, have called into question whether the American Dream is “real.” Republican Party leaders, by contrast, have consistently defended the fairness of the economy and the American Dream. While it is true that Americans have become more skeptical of the American Dream overall, Suhay finds this skepticism is concentrated among Democratic members of the public. Despite the increasingly working-class make-up of the Republican coalition, most Republican members of the public continue to believe the American Dream is reality. Suhay finds that both Democrats and Republicans tend to adhere to their party's economic narratives when identifying the causes of inequality between rich and poor, White and Black and Latino Americans, and men and women. Democrats and liberals often attribute inequality between these groups to societal causes, such as lack of access to education and jobs or discrimination. Republicans and conservatives, on the other hand, are more likely to blame individuals and lower income groups for their difficulties. However, Americans' beliefs are less polarized when they consider socioeconomic inequalities rarely debated by politicians. For example, when asking Republicans and Democrats about the roots of rural-urban and White-Asian inequality, there is no clear unequal opportunity-individual responsibility partisan divide. Suhay argues that the availability of partisan “scripts” helps to explain differences in the public's views on inequality between groups that have been politicized. These beliefs appear to bolster support for the two parties' policy agendas among party supporters, driving a wedge between Democrats and Republicans in support for redistributive economic policy as well as the political candidates who support or oppose redistribution. Debating the American Dream provides fascinating insights into politics' role in Americans' beliefs and attitudes concerning inequality. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/public-policy
Faith in the American Dream—the idea that anyone who works hard can achieve success—has waned in the 21st century. Decreases in economic mobility, increases in the wealth gap, and other economic shifts have undoubtedly influenced this decline. Politics, however, are an overlooked contributor to confidence, or lack of confidence, in the American Dream. In Debating the American Dream: How Explanations for Inequality Polarize Politics (Russell Sage Foundation, 2025), political scientist Elizabeth Suhay investigates how politics and political identity are intertwined with beliefs about the American Dream and the causes of inequality. Drawing on public opinion surveys spanning more than four decades, Suhay finds that Americans' belief in the American Dream is strongly related to their political party affiliation. Democratic Party leaders have increasingly questioned the fairness of the American economy, and, in effect, have called into question whether the American Dream is “real.” Republican Party leaders, by contrast, have consistently defended the fairness of the economy and the American Dream. While it is true that Americans have become more skeptical of the American Dream overall, Suhay finds this skepticism is concentrated among Democratic members of the public. Despite the increasingly working-class make-up of the Republican coalition, most Republican members of the public continue to believe the American Dream is reality. Suhay finds that both Democrats and Republicans tend to adhere to their party's economic narratives when identifying the causes of inequality between rich and poor, White and Black and Latino Americans, and men and women. Democrats and liberals often attribute inequality between these groups to societal causes, such as lack of access to education and jobs or discrimination. Republicans and conservatives, on the other hand, are more likely to blame individuals and lower income groups for their difficulties. However, Americans' beliefs are less polarized when they consider socioeconomic inequalities rarely debated by politicians. For example, when asking Republicans and Democrats about the roots of rural-urban and White-Asian inequality, there is no clear unequal opportunity-individual responsibility partisan divide. Suhay argues that the availability of partisan “scripts” helps to explain differences in the public's views on inequality between groups that have been politicized. These beliefs appear to bolster support for the two parties' policy agendas among party supporters, driving a wedge between Democrats and Republicans in support for redistributive economic policy as well as the political candidates who support or oppose redistribution. Debating the American Dream provides fascinating insights into politics' role in Americans' beliefs and attitudes concerning inequality. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In episode 126, we're exploring the career and research of one of the leading scholars on gender, inequality, and crime, Professor Karen Heimer. Karen Heimer is Professor of Sociology & Criminology, Collegiate Fellow in the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences, and Distinguished Research Fellow of the Public Policy Center at the University of Iowa. She also holds a courtesy appointment in the Boyd College of Law. Heimer researches and teaches in the areas of gender and violence, juvenile delinquency, criminal punishment, and causes of crime and violence. She became a Fellow of the American Society of Criminology in 2015 and served as President of the American Society of Criminology in 2018. She is a recipient of the 2018 Iowa Regents Award for Faculty Excellence and the 2019 UI's Hancher-Finkbine Faculty Medallion.
In this episode, we look at what happens when artificial intelligence is put in charge of real-world systems, starting with an experiment in automated pricing and what it reveals about incentives, scarcity, and control. We turn to Denmark's decision to shut down its national postal service, using it to examine the decline of physical mail, environmental tradeoffs, and why government monopolies struggle to compete with private delivery. We highlight the week's “foolishness,” including the rise of competitive spreadsheet championships, before turning to a broader discussion about inequality. We examine IQ distributions, bell curves, and why inequality is often confused with poverty, exploring the limits of measures like the Gini coefficient, the difference between snapshot and lifetime earnings, and the role of incentives, envy, and value creation. We close by contrasting equality of opportunity with equality of outcome and asking what societies should actually care about when assessing fairness and prosperity. 00:00 Introduction and Overview 00:27 AI Runs a Vending Machine at the Wall Street Journal 01:52 When AI Meets Communism and Price Controls 03:52 Why AI Isn't Replacing Humans Anytime Soon 04:32 Denmark Shuts Down Its Postal Service 06:11 Is Physical Mail Environmentally Absurd? 07:39 Why the Postal Service Can't Compete 11:43 The Foolishness of the Week: Excel World Championships 13:25 Are Spreadsheets More Important Than Football? 15:08 Main Topic Setup: Should We Care About Inequality? 16:13 IQ, Bell Curves, and Random Distributions 23:05 Why Inequality Is Not the Same as Poverty 25:36 The Gini Coefficient and Its Limits 28:57 Sports, Superstars, and Value Creation 38:00 Taxes, Transfers, and the Illusion of Inequality 41:57 Lifetime Earnings vs Snapshot Inequality 45:14 Equality of Opportunity vs Equality of Outcome 49:30 Envy, Incentives, and Human Motivation 53:38 Closing Thoughts on Inequality and Society Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Legal scholar Ray Madoff discusses her new book, "The Second Estate: How the Tax Code Made an American Aristocracy."
This lecture discusses key ideas from the 20th century African-American philosopher, theologian, and civil rights leader, Martin Luther King Jr.'s work "Letter From A Birmingham Jail" This episode examines King's depiction and analysis of racism and segregation as fundamentally wrong and illegitimate forms of inequality in America To support my ongoing work, go to my Patreon site - www.patreon.com/sadler If you'd like to make a direct contribution, you can do so here - www.paypal.me/ReasonIO - or at BuyMeACoffee - www.buymeacoffee.com/A4quYdWoM You can find over 3500 philosophy videos in my main YouTube channel - www.youtube.com/user/gbisadler You can find the Letter From A Birmingham Jail here - https://www.africa.upenn.edu/Articles_Gen/Letter_Birmingham.html
When will our housing system crumble? The question is: are we in mid stage or late stage capitalism? Inequality is spiking exponentially. Something has to change. In this episode I discuss unscripted thoughts about capitalism, financial (un)happiness and its consequences on Australia's future. Discussion Points: 00:00: Introduction 01:12: The Real Stats: Inequality is GROWING 04:07: Australia’s high-worth net individuals are INCREASING 08:10: Government doesn't have to care about the average person 14:29: Capitalism means preserving rather than enjoying wealth 18:18: Conclusion About The Host: Subscribe to Aus Property Mastery with PK for no BS, “straight to the point” property investing strategies and data-driven insights about the Australian housing market - the only property podcast not biased by a “Buyers Agent”. You can listen to Aus Property Mastery on Apple Podcasts, Spotify & YouTube Music. PK Gupta is the founder of the Property Investment Accelerator — Australia's #1 Rated And ONLY 100% Independent Real Estate Course & Mentorship Program that helps people achieve passive income through property investing using DATA, WITHOUT wasting months doing "research", spending weekends at inspections OR dropping $10-20k on Buyers Agents each time. Resources: Watch FREE Trainings On Our Website
VENEZUELA'S TRAGIC DECLINE FROM PROSPERITY TO AUTHORITARIANISM Colleague Professor Evan Ellis. Historical imagery reveals Venezuela's transformation from a prosperous, modern nation in the 1950s to a ruined state today. Deep inequality and corruption in the pre-Chavez era alienated the poor, allowing Hugo Chavez to capitalize on their frustration and dismantle the free market system, leading to the current crisis. NUMBER 6 1948 CARACAS
The Last Trade: Jeff Deist explains why “saving” died in the fiat era, how markets morphed into a casino, why gold is quietly re-monetizing, and what Bitcoin's financialization gets dangerously wrong as younger generations face a broken denominator, housing despair, and a culture of Hail Mary bets.---
Echoes of Discrimination traces how past injustices reverberate into the present, shaping policies, perceptions, and everyday experiences. It uncovers the subtle and overt ways bias repeats itself across generations — in schools, workplaces, neighborhoods, and institutions — revealing how old narratives quietly inform new forms of inequality. This series amplifies the voices, histories, and lived realities that systems try to silence, turning those echoes into evidence, education, and collective action.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/racism-white-privilege-in-america--4473713/support.
Some principals say the Education Review Office isn't giving schools in poor communities enough credit for the challenges they face. Jason Miles, Vice President of the New Zealand Principals' Federation spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.
In August 1971, Richard Nixon went on television and detonated the global financial system. By severing the U.S. dollar from gold, the Nixon Shock ended Bretton Woods, ushered in fiat money, and unleashed a new era of credit, speculation, and inequality. What followed wasn't just inflation and currency volatility—it was a fundamental rewiring of housing, wealth, and power.In this episode of Built to Divide, Dimitrius Lynch traces how the end of the gold standard collided with housing policy, stagflation, and a rising market-first ideology. As public housing construction collapsed, Section 8 vouchers expanded, the mortgage interest deduction quietly became America's largest housing subsidy, and real estate lobbying reshaped Washington. Jimmy Carter framed housing as a moral obligation—but crisis, inflation, and backlash undercut reform. Then came Milton Friedman, Margaret Thatcher, Ronald Reagan, and the think-tank machine, turning deregulation, tax cuts, and privatization into governing doctrine.The result? Housing shifted from shelter to leverage. Neighborhoods hardened. Inequality accelerated. McMansions replaced porches. Master-planned enclaves rose as public responsibility retreated. And the rails were laid for subprime lending, securitization, and collapse.This is the episode where money floats, housing fractures, and the modern economy takes its irreversible turn.Episode Extras - Photos, videos, sources and links to additional content found during research. Episode Credits:Production in collaboration with Gābl MediaWritten & Executive Produced by Dimitrius LynchAudio Engineering and Sound Design by Jeff Alvarez
Diverse Voices Book Review host Hopeton Hay interviewed Chuck Collins, author of BURNED BY BILLIONAIRES: How Concentrated Wealth and Power Are Ruining Our Lives And Planet. The interview explored the impact of extreme wealth concentration on society, covering topics such as the racial wealth divide, climate disruption, affordable housing, and the influence of billionaire dynasties. Collins also addressed tax avoidance by billionaires, the effects of private equity on communities, and practical steps individuals and governments can take to counteract these trends.Chuck Collins is the Director of the Program on Inequality and the Common Good at the Institute for Policy Studies where he co-edits Inequality.org.Diverse Voices Book Review Social Media:Facebook - @diversevoicesbookreviewInstagram - @diverse_voices_book_reviewX - @diversebookshayEmail: hbh@diversevoicesbookreview.com
Indian conglomerates shine in an uncertain year, Moneycontrol ascertains brokerages' predictions, Delhi-Muscat set to sign FTA, Rupee's biggest single-day gain against the US dollar, Saregama banks on Bhansali productions and the IPL's income inequality - find reports that track all this and more in the latest edition of Moneycontrol Editor's Picks.
In Hedged Out: Inequality and Insecurity on Wall Street (U California Press, 2022) Megan Tobias Neely, a former hedge fund worker takes an ethnographic approach to hedge funds. Manager? A greedy fraudster, a visionary entrepreneur, a wolf of Wall Street? She gives readers an insider perspective on the phenomenon. Facing an unpredictable and risky stock market, hedge fund workers work long hours and build tight-knit networks with people who look and behave like them. Neely shows how the system of elite power and privilege sustains and builds over time as the beneficiaries concentrate their resources. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network
In this episode, Nathan Fabian, Chief Sustainable Systems Officer at the PRI, examines rising economic inequality and why it poses a material, systemic risk for long-term investors. He is joined by Delaney Greig (Director of Investor Stewardship, University Pension Plan Ontario), Emma Douglas (Sustainable Investment & Stewardship Lead, Brightwell; BT Pension Scheme), and David Wood (Adjunct Lecturer in Public Policy, Harvard Kennedy School).Together, they explore how inequality affects economic stability, corporate performance, long-horizon portfolio returns, and what asset owners can do to respond.OverviewTen years after the adoption of the SDGs, inequality is increasing across major economies. The top 1% now holds over 40% of global wealth, and widening gaps in income, labour rights and access to opportunity are shaping economic and political outcomes.The guests discuss:Why inequality is a non-diversifiable, systemic riskHow it undermines growth, resilience and productivityThe implications for diversified investorsThe interplay between inequality, climate, nature and social outcomesHow asset owners can use stewardship, integration and policy engagement to address key driversDetailed Coverage1. Why inequality matters for investorsDelaney and Emma outline why rising inequality threatens long-term returns: weakening demand, increasing volatility, reducing workforce resilience, and fuelling political instability. Both highlight evidence linking excessive pay gaps and poor labour practices to weaker corporate performance.2. What the research showsDavid summarises major findings from the IMF, OECD and others showing that inequality constrains growth rather than accelerates it. He notes that investors have clearer data and frameworks today than ever before, and that social issues have become central to responsible investment.3. Making inequality actionableEmma discusses a new analysis tool developed with Cambri to map social risks across sectors, revealing under-examined areas such as technology, media and natural-resource-intensive industries.Delaney explains UPP's “top-and-bottom guardrails” approach, engaging on excessive executive pay at the top and fundamental labour rights at the bottom.4. Stewardship, integration and policyThe panel discusses:Embedding social risks into investment processesSector-level prioritisationCollective action on labour rightsThe emerging TISFD standardHow investors should (and should not) engage in political debates around taxation, labour markets and redistribution5. Looking aheadGuests reflect on:Strengthening investor–manager dialogueIntegrating inequality into capital allocation decisionsOpportunities in areas such as affordable housingAddressing market concentration and competition issuesThe need for aligned, collective advocacy from asset ownersChapters(0:00) - Introduction: Economic Inequality and Investment Risk (2:29) - Delaney Greg: Why Inequality Matters for Pension Plans (4:50) - Emma Douglas: Systemic Risk and Investment Opportunities (7:16) - David Wood: Research on Inequality and Growth (9:21) - Understanding the Drivers of Economic Inequality (11:51) - Emma's Approach: Using Data and AI for Social Risk Analysis (15:01) - Delaney's Strategy: Top-End and Bottom-End Guardrails (17:55) - Measuring Impact and Defining Success in Inequality Work (20:16) -...
In Hedged Out: Inequality and Insecurity on Wall Street (U California Press, 2022) Megan Tobias Neely, a former hedge fund worker takes an ethnographic approach to hedge funds. Manager? A greedy fraudster, a visionary entrepreneur, a wolf of Wall Street? She gives readers an insider perspective on the phenomenon. Facing an unpredictable and risky stock market, hedge fund workers work long hours and build tight-knit networks with people who look and behave like them. Neely shows how the system of elite power and privilege sustains and builds over time as the beneficiaries concentrate their resources. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/anthropology
In Hedged Out: Inequality and Insecurity on Wall Street (U California Press, 2022) Megan Tobias Neely, a former hedge fund worker takes an ethnographic approach to hedge funds. Manager? A greedy fraudster, a visionary entrepreneur, a wolf of Wall Street? She gives readers an insider perspective on the phenomenon. Facing an unpredictable and risky stock market, hedge fund workers work long hours and build tight-knit networks with people who look and behave like them. Neely shows how the system of elite power and privilege sustains and builds over time as the beneficiaries concentrate their resources. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/finance
In Hedged Out: Inequality and Insecurity on Wall Street (U California Press, 2022) Megan Tobias Neely, a former hedge fund worker takes an ethnographic approach to hedge funds. Manager? A greedy fraudster, a visionary entrepreneur, a wolf of Wall Street? She gives readers an insider perspective on the phenomenon. Facing an unpredictable and risky stock market, hedge fund workers work long hours and build tight-knit networks with people who look and behave like them. Neely shows how the system of elite power and privilege sustains and builds over time as the beneficiaries concentrate their resources. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Interviewer: JOSHUA ROSE. In this episode of the Andrea Mitchell Center for the Study of Democracy podcast, host JOSHUA ROSE speaks with Penn Law and History Professor SERENA MAYERI about her book Marital Privilege: Marriage, Inequality, and the Transformation of American Law. Mayeri unpacks how Supreme Court decision-making around family and privacy can defy ideological expectations, why challenges to marriage's legal primacy were often fragmented rather than movement-coordinated, and how today's "traditional family values" revival intersects with longstanding conservative legal projects and post-Dobbs uncertainty.
In this episode of Top Line, Sam Jacobs, Asad Zaman, and A.J. Bruno dive into the economic and mental health crises facing young professionals, analyzing data on why entry-level opportunities are shrinking in the age of AI. Shifting to business strategy, the group also examines the nuances of pricing power, warning companies against raising rates without delivering commensurate value to the customer. Thanks for tuning in! Catch new episodes every Sunday Subscribe to Topline Newsletter. Tune into Topline Podcast, the #1 podcast for founders, operators, and investors in B2B tech. Join the free Topline Slack channel to connect with 600+ revenue leaders to keep the conversation going beyond the podcast! Chapters: 00:00 Introduction and Episode Overview 00:35 Quiz Pro: Testing Knowledge with Fun Questions 02:40 Discussion on Young Professionals' Challenges 13:44 Advice for Young Professionals Entering the Workforce 15:43 Mental Health and Employment Challenges 20:50 The Impact of Technology and Inequality 32:57 Navigating Career Choices for Young Professionals 33:22 The Importance of Cultural and Historical Awareness 34:57 Balancing STEM and Humanities in Education 35:21 Building Community and Identity 36:35 Practical Advice for Job Seekers 38:56 The Challenge of Pricing in Today's Market 45:16 The Impact of Private Equity on Industries 51:57 The Role of Strategy in Business Success 58:49 Personal Reflections and Inspirations
The late Robert Solow was a giant among economists. When he was 98 years old he told Steve about cracking German codes in World War II, why it's so hard to reduce inequality, and how his field lost its way. SOURCES:Robert Solow, professor emeritus of economics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. RESOURCES:"Secrecy, Cigars, and a Venetian Wedding: How the P.G.A. Tour Made a Deal with Saudi Arabia," by Alan Blinder, Lauren Hirsch, Kevin Draper, and Kate Kelly (The New York Times, 2023)."Global Assessment of Environmental-Economic Accounting and Supporting Statistics: 2020," by United Nations Committee of Experts on Environmental-Economic Accounting (2021)."Where Modern Macroeconomics Went Wrong," by Joseph E. Stiglitz (Oxford Review of Economic Policy, 2015)."As Inequality Grows, So Does the Political Influence of the Rich," (The Economist, 2018)."Big Bang Financial Deregulation and Income Inequality: Evidence From U.K. and Japan," by Daniel Waldenstrom and Julia Tanndal (VoxEU, 2016)."The Fall And Rise Of U.S. Inequality, In 2 Graphs," by Quoctrung Bui (Planet Money, 2015).Nobel Prize Biographical, by Robert Solow (1987).Principles of Political Economy, by John Stuart Mills (1848). EXTRAS:"Is Economic Growth the Wrong Goal? (Update)," by Freakonomics Radio (2023). Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Ralph once again welcomes Chuck Collins, heir to the Oscar Meyer fortune and one of the founders of Patriotic Millionaires, to discuss his agenda for reform outlined in his new book BURNED BY BILLIONAIRES: How Concentrated Wealth and Power Are Ruining Our Lives and Planet. Then Sarah Moskowitz, Executive Director of the Citizens Utility Board of Illinois (CUB), joins us to tell us how to fight back against AI data centers that are spiking your electric bills.Chuck Collins directs the Charity Reform Initiative at the Institute for Policy Studies, where he also co-edits Inequality.org. He co-founded the Patriotic Millionaires and United for a Fair Economy, and he is the author of Born on Third Base and The Wealth Hoarders: How Billionaires Pay Millions to Hide Trillions. His new book is Burned by Billionaires: How Concentrated Wealth and Power Are Ruining Our Lives and Planet.There's a number of examples of how we could create a decency floor that many societies have (including, obviously, Canada) that you can't fall below those levels. Same with education, access to education. These are universal opportunity programs that good societies maintain. You raise the floor and you create a level playing field. But the reality is we're not going to get any of those if we don't address this concentration of wealth and power, which is essentially blocking us from moving toward these reforms we're talking about.Chuck CollinsSarah Moskowitz is Executive Director of the Citizens Utility Board, a nonprofit, nonpartisan group with the mission to fight for the rights of customers of investor-owned electric, gas and telecom utilities across Illinois.That's part of what we're really proud of here at CUB Illinois is that you can reach a human. You might have to leave a message, but we will call you back and answer your questions and then talk through what's really going on.Sarah MoskowitzA lot of our work at CUB is just helping people connect the dots behind the policies that are resulting in these really high bills. It's shrouded in mystery and it's dry. It's boring. You don't want to think about it after you've been working all day. And that's why we're here—to keep tabs on all that stuff and help illuminate that for folks…And it's a moving target. Things are happening at the state level. Things are happening at the federal level. And so when you're looking at your bill, it's a culmination of a whole spectrum of jurisdictions and a whole spectrum of regulators making decisions, each having an impact on what you pay every month in a different way. And it's quite overwhelming.Sarah MoskowitzMore Show Notes:CUB ProjectUtility Consumers Action NetworkCub Model Law Get full access to Ralph Nader Radio Hour at www.ralphnaderradiohour.com/subscribe
Rich people are not like us–they have more money. And mega-rich people? They not only have more money, but they hide it “offshore,” to avoid detection by the tax man, law enforcement, creditors, divorce lawyers, and, sometimes, their fellow citizens whose collective coffers they've plundered.In this conversation, Greg Olear speaks with the economic sociology professor Brooke Harrington, author of Offshore: Stealth Wealth and the New Colonialism, about the murky world of offshore finance, its implications for global inequality, the challenges of studying the ultra-rich, the culture of competitive depravity among the wealthy, and the dangers of their influence on both democracy and capitalism. They also discuss the looming AI bubble, the true purpose of AI, Jeffrey Epstein, and why studying the humanities is so vital.Brooke Harrington is Professor of Economic Sociology at Dartmouth College. Since 2007, she has examined inequality from the top end of the socio-economic spectrum—a research program inaugurated by her training for two years to become a certified offshore wealth manager. Her previous book—Capital without Borders —won the “Outstanding Book” award from the Inequality, Poverty and Mobility section of the American Sociological Association. She advises the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, EU Parliament, and the tax agencies of countries across Europe, North America and Asia-Pacific. Her latest book, Offshore: Stealth Wealth and the New Colonialism, was named a “Best Book” of 2024 by the Financial Times.Follow Brooke:https://bsky.app/profile/ebharrington.bsky.socialVisit her website:https://brookeharrington.com/Buy the book:https://brookeharrington.com/books/offshore-book/Please subscribe to PREVAIL on Substack. There's six full years' worth of work in the archives on Trump, Russia, Jeffrey Epstein, Leonard Leo, and much more. Every piece at PREVAIL is free to read and always will be. No paywalls, ever. Your generous support keeps it that way. Subscriptions are just $6.99 a month, $65 a year. Visit gregolear.substack.com to learn more. Make America Great Gatsby Again!https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-great-gatsby-four-sticks-press-centennial-edition/e701221776c88f86?ean=9798985931976&next=tSubscribe to The Five 8:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0BRnRwe7yDZXIaF-QZfvhACheck out ROUGH BEAST, Greg's new book:https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D47CMX17ROUGH BEAST is now available as an audiobook:https://www.audible.com/pd/Rough-Beast-Audiobook/B0D8K41S3T Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
How does China's economic model work? Political economist Ben Norton explains the ideas behind Socialism with Chinese Characteristics, discussing China's socialist market economy, historical development, reform process, poverty reduction, industrial policy, and more. VIDEO with charts here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6E89qUXTX-k Topics 0:00 Introduction 1:07 China has world's largest economy 3:01 China's economic development 3:54 Poverty reduction 6:56 Rising incomes 7:42 Life expectancy 8:57 Mortality rates 9:34 Reform and Opening Up 10:16 To get rich is glorious? 11:35 Deng Xiaoping's ideology 13:54 Primary stage of socialism 14:28 Chinese capitalists 15:54 Industrialization & urbanization 16:55 Birdcage economy (Chen Yun) 18:17 State ownership 19:40 State-owned enterprises (SOEs) 20:49 Grasp the large, let go of the small 22:22 Public property 23:16 SOE assets 24:14 Provincial & local governments 25:51 Golden shares in tech companies 26:54 Huawei, biggest worker-owned company 27:17 Rural cooperatives 29:09 Democracy in China? 31:40 Foreign investment in China 33:49 Global value chain 34:34 Foreign direct investment (FDI) 35:48 Industrial policy evolution 38:22 New quality productive forces 39:23 China's green energy revolution 40:24 World's manufacturing superpower 41:04 US deindustrialization & financialization 43:22 US bubble economy 44:37 China popped real estate bubble 46:50 Inequality & uneven development 48:31 Eras of the PRC 49:01 Common prosperity in New Era 49:34 Gini coefficient 50:26 Labor income vs capital income 51:48 Poverty alleviation 52:17 Wages of Chinese workers 52:44 Labor unions in China 55:19 USA funds anti-China labor groups 57:02 Marco Rubio takes over NED 57:32 Delivery workers 58:30 996 system is banned 59:23 Working hours in China 1:00:25 Imperialism & division of labor 1:03:51 AI & new cold war 1:04:45 Silicon Valley model: monopoly 1:05:43 Market competition in China 1:07:44 China opposes private monopolies 1:08:10 State planning 1:09:05 Cold War Two
The Reliability of Wealth Creation in an Age of Inequality: Why Investing Must Become Compassionate Again. Purpose of the ShowThis show exists to awaken wisdom, spark clarity, and help thinkers, leaders, and creators live with a depth of purpose the modern world has forgotten. Every conversation is an invitation — not simply to master strategy, but to steward influence, shape ecosystems, and build a more generous economic future. Introduction: What happens when a capital strategist, ecosystem architect, bestselling author, and nationally ranked podcast host sets her life's mission toward one goal:Re-imagining private equity as a tool for human flourishing? Today's guest, Karen Rands, is not merely a leader in early-stage investing — she is the founder of an entire movement. Known as The Compassionate Capitalist, Karen has spent more than twenty years challenging the old, extractive models of wealth creation and replacing them with something richer, wiser, and more humane. Her conviction is simple and bold:When more people invest in entrepreneurs — wisely, ethically, and confidently — communities grow, innovators thrive, and the wealth gap begins to close. In a financial culture often defined by fear, inequity, and gatekeeping, Karen is giving aspiring investors something rare:A proven, principled pathway into private equity that aligns purpose, passion, and profit. Credibility + BackgroundKaren is the founder of Kugarand Capital Holdings, a Federal SBA–Certified Woman Owned Small Business, where she serves as a trusted strategist to entrepreneurs, investors, venture capital networks, and economic development agencies seeking to fund innovation and expand access to capital. She is the bestselling author of two groundbreaking works:Inside Secrets to Angel InvestingInside Secrets to Crowdfund Investing: Follow Jane's JourneyTogether, these books have become definitive guides for individuals entering private equity for the first time — illuminating a wealth-building asset class historically hidden from the public.Across her career, Karen has:coached founders through private placements, Reg CF, Reg A+, and Reg D offeringsguided investors through due diligence, risk assessment, and wealth-building strategydeveloped capital strategies for growing companies and emerging technologiespartnered with venture capitalists, family offices, and syndicate networksserved as an advisor across the lower and middle marketshelped entrepreneurs prepare to scale and exit with confidenceAnd she amplifies this mission through The Compassionate Capitalist Show™, a global top-2.5% business podcast with more than 300 episodes and over 200,000 listeners.Karen's work integrates economics, ethics, innovation, and community development — embodying her belief that:Investing is not merely financial activity. It is civic stewardship.Episode SummaryThis conversation confronts a defining question of our economic moment:How do we democratize wealth creation without diluting wisdom, lowering standards, or compromising stewardship?Together, we explore:why private equity has remained inaccessible to most people — and how that is changingthe moral and economic case for training 500,000 new angel and crowdfunding investors by 2029how investors and entrepreneurs can form an ecosystem that builds both profit and purposewhat founders get wrong about capital strategy — and how to fix itwhy investors need better due diligence, not more fearhow compassionate capitalism can bridge the wealth gapwhy Karen believes early-stage investing is more profitable — and more ethical — than many traditional asset classesThis is not merely a conversation about raising capital.It is a vision for rebuilding the American Entrepreneur Dream with wisdom, access, and integrity. Call to Action: If this conversation stirs something in you — a desire to articulate your expertise, to clarify your message, or to capture your life's work in a book that shapes the next generation of entrepreneurs — I would be honored to walk with you. Inside my exclusive, high-level Author Coaching program, I help select authors translate complex ideas into compelling narratives, structure thought leadership that positions them as trusted authorities, and craft manuscripts that carry both economic impact and moral weight. If you're ready to write the book only you can write — the one that will educate, empower, and endure — my door is open.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-doctor-of-digital-gmick-smith-phd--1279468/support.
Democrats are criticizing President Trump's affordability speech for not focusing that much on affordability. We learn more from The Washington Post's Matt Viser, who attended the president's rally. Then, it's not just affordability that's becoming a problem; so is inequality. Now, California is debating one potential solution: a tax on the wealth held by that state's billionaires. North Carolina State University professor Christina Lewellen discusses the pros and cons of a wealth tax.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy
This week, Paul and Goldy look back at the most notable economics books of the year. They discuss Ezra Klein and David Thompson's Abundance, Cory Doctorow's blistering Enshittification, Thomas Piketty's new works on inequality, Diane Coyle's fresh take on GDP, and the overlooked history behind the Garland Fund. Whether you're hunting for a holiday gift for the wonk in the family or looking to understand the ideas driving today's political economy, this episode is full of must-reads. Must-Read Economics Books 2025 Abundance by Ezra Klein and David Thompson Enshittification: Why Everything Suddenly Got Worse and What to Do About It by Cory Doctorow Equality Is a Struggle by Thomas Piketty Nature, Culture, and Inequality by Thomas Piketty Equality: What It Means and Why It Matters by Thomas Piketty and Michael J. Sandel The Measure of Progress: Counting What Really Matters by Diane Coyle The Radical Fund: How a Band of Visionaries and a Million Dollars Upended America by John Fabian Witt Honorable Mention Ricardo's Dream: How Economists Forgot the Real World and Led Us Astray By Nat Dyer Why Information Grows: The Evolution of Order, from Atoms to Economies by Cesar Hidalgo Coming Up Short: A Memoir of My America by Robert Reisch Mood Machine: The Rise of Spotify and the Costs of the Perfect Playlist Liz Pelly Other Books Mentioned in Episode Homelessness is a Housing Problem by Greg Colburn & Clayton Page Aldern Why Nothing Works: Who Killed Progress--And How to Bring It Back by Marc Dunkelman Capital in the 21st Century by Thomas Piketty The Gardens of Democracy: A New American Story of Citizenship, the Economy, and the Role of Government by Nick Hanauer & Eric Liu Communist Manifesto by Karl Marx Website: http://pitchforkeconomics.com Facebook: Pitchfork Economics Podcast Bluesky: @pitchforkeconomics.bsky.social Instagram: @pitchforkeconomics Threads: pitchforkeconomics TikTok: @pitchfork_econ YouTube: @pitchforkeconomics LinkedIn: Pitchfork Economics Twitter: @PitchforkEcon, @NickHanauer Substack: The Pitch
Few historical tableaus are more iconic than the midcentury suburbs of Long Island. I can see it now: rows of identical houses, subsidized by federal spending, inhabited by white middle-class heteronormative families 2.3 children, attending well-funded schools. If there's a stereotypical image of the "American Dream," this is it. But after reading Mike Glass' new book, Cracked Foundations: Debt and Inequality in Suburban America, I can promise you'll never think about the suburbs quite the same way. Glass reveals that the way we paid for those homes and those schools—through debt financing on the capital markets—left midcentury suburbs unstable, unequal, and racially segregated. Even in the so-called "golden age of capitalism," suburban life was more precarious than I'd ever imagined. If you're ready to demolish all of the things you thought you knew about postwar suburbia, listen to today's episode with Mike Glass.
One of the most annoying problems in modern society is the expectations placed on men by "society" and the standard woman. In this episode, Nathan brings on Jack Kammer from Male-Friendly Media to get his take on modern dating, male and female dynamics, and how modern feminism has caused an entire generation of women and men to look past each other when it comes to family dynamics, dating, relationships, and what men REALLY want! #feminism #mgtow #manosphere #relationships #hypergamy #maleproblems #womenissues #sex #marriage #304s #redpill #datingadvice #singlelife
Michael Smerconish discusses the disparity in how drug-related deaths are treated depending on the fame of the victim, highlighting cases like Matthew Perry and Michael K. Williams, where the suppliers were severely punished. He contrasts this with the relative lack of action for the vast majority of Americans who die from drug overdoses each year. The segment also covers the legal and moral implications of using military force against drug traffickers, referencing a controversial September 2nd attack on a drug trafficking vessel. Smerconish advocates for transparency and full investigation of the incident. Admiral James Stavridis joins to discuss the potential misuse of lethal force and the importance of adhering to legal and moral standards. The latter part of the show shifts to the concept of wealth and poverty in America, questioning what constitutes wealth in today's economy, especially as inflation and living costs rise. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
What assumptions are holding you back from creating a more accessible show? If you knew more about your listener's accessibility needs, how would that change your show? Podcasting borrows so much of its policy and practice from more traditional forms of media, and while that's given us a great place to start, it's also slowed down innovation in this unique medium. Meg Wilcox is a journalist and professor at Mount Royal University. Her research focuses on where podcasting could improve in terms of accessibility and ethics. In this episode, she shares how her experience producing an audio memoir for a woman with vision impairment prompted her to reconsider how we approach everything from recording and publishing to promoting our shows. You'll learn about the ethics of copyright ownership, the slow adoption of accessibility tools, and the ongoing barriers that, if dismantled, would give anyone with a podcasting dream the tools to make it come true. Reframe how you think about your show's accessibility and availability: The power of accessibility upgrades to make podcasting better for everyone; The importance of understanding your audience and what they need; What's still missing in the wider world of media accessibility; Our flawed expectations around what's "professional" in audio. Links worth mentioning from the episode: USC Annenberg, "Inequality in Popular Podcasts? An Examination of Gender & Race/Ethnicity": https://assets.uscannenberg.org/docs/aii-inequality-Podcasts-2025-11-06.pdf PodNews, "25 Podcasts Announced as Eligible for Golden Globes": https://podnews.net/press-release/golden-globes-eligible-podcasts-26 Episode 99, "Canadian Identity in the Indie Podcasting Ecosystem with Kattie Laur": https://www.organizedsound.ca/canadian-identity-in-the-indie-podcasting-ecosystem-with-kattie-laur-episode-99/ Engage with Meg Wilcox: Listen to Static: A Party Girl's Memoir: https://www.megwilcox.com/2024/11/08/static-a-party-girls-memoir/ Connect with Meg on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/megwilcox/ Learn more about Meg's work: https://www.megwilcox.com/ Connect with Mary! Leave a voice note with your feedback at https://www.speakpipe.com/VisibleVoice or email visiblevoicepodcast@gmail.com Get the full transcript of the episode at http://www.visiblevoicepodcast.com Read up on more secrets with the Visible Voice Insights Newsletter https://www.organizedsound.ca/newsletter To learn more or work with Mary, check out https://www.organizedsound.ca Link up on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/marychan-organizedsound/ Engage on Instagram @OrganizedSoundProductions https://www.instagram.com/organizedsoundproductions Show Credits: Podcast audio design, engineering, and editing by Mary Chan of Organized Sound Productions Show notes written by Shannon Kirk of Right Words Studio Post-production support by Kristalee Forre of Forre You VA Podcast cover art by Emily Johnston of Artio Design Co.
Some moments don't arrive gently. They shake you awake and force you to see the world differently. For Professor Arad Reisberg, that clarity began in childhood, sitting on “whites only” benches in apartheid-era South Africa and feeling, long before he had language for it, that something was deeply wrong. Growing up openly gay, Jewish and a migrant, he learned early what it meant to move through the world as both insider and outsider. Years later, a quiet moment at home changed everything. His husband, a cardiologist, listened to his chest, paused, and said the words that led to a life-altering diagnosis and open-heart surgery. Recovery brought its own lessons - about invisible struggles, misplaced expectations and the humanity we all rely on but rarely talk about. Emerging from that experience, Arad found a clarity he hadn't had before. A sharper sense of what matters, what doesn't, and why lived experience is often the most powerful form of leadership. And he understood that real change, whether in education, healthcare or society, starts with empathy, courage and the willingness to truly listen. This conversation is a reminder that purpose isn't discovered in titles or achievements … but in the moments that break the script and show us who we really are. The Unlock Moment is hosted by Dr Gary Crotaz, PhD — executive coach, speaker and award-winning author. Downloaded in over 120 countries. Sign up to The Unlock Moment newsletter at https://tinyurl.com/ywhdaazp Find out more at https://garycrotaz.com and https://theunlockmoment.com Also discover his other podcasts, The Box of Keys and Unlock Your Leadership. Follow, subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts — and connect with Dr Gary on LinkedIn for more leadership insights. Part of The Unlock Moment podcast family.
This week when we give thanks, let me say how grateful I am to have these conversations about a world that just might work and that folks take the time to listen, learn, and share. CHUCK COLLINS says a lot of people tell him, “…nothing a billionaire does harms my life.” In response, he wrote BURNED BY BILLIONAIRES: How Concentrated Wealth and Power Are Ruining Our Lives and Planet. Collins directs the Program on Inequality and the Common Good at the Institute for Policy Studies, co-edits Inequality.org and its weekly newsletter, and writes the column, Oligarch Watch at The Nation Magazine.You can learn more at inequality.org and at ChuckCollinsWrites.comCollins, Chuck-2025-Transcript
Stu Bradley, CFA, CFP — Wealth Advisor at Hightower St. Louis — joins Scarce Assets to explore how bitcoin fits into modern portfolio design, the illusion of market “cycles,” and why peace of mind matters more than price charts.With decades of experience across HSBC, UBS, Vision Capital, and now Hightower, Stu brings a global investor's perspective on inflation, fiscal dominance, and the future of wealth management in a K-shaped economy.This episode cuts through the hype to reveal how advisors are quietly rethinking sound money, digital assets, and intergenerational planning — all while clients question the meaning of risk, time, and value in a rapidly changing financial system.Stu Bradley on LinkedIn // Hightower Wealth Advisors // Stu's Presentation, Understanding Bitcoin // Connect with Onramp // Onramp Institutional // Jackson Mikalic on XWHAT WE COVER:- From HSBC and UBS to Hightower: a career across global markets- How a $20 smoothie became the “wake-up call” on inflation- Why Bitcoin represents optionality, not speculation- Fiscal dominance, QT's end, and the K-shaped economy- The psychological side of wealth: why “peace of mind” beats alpha- How advisors are integrating BTC exposure through ETFs & custodial platforms- The coming wealth transfer and how next-gen clients will reshape the advisory modelKEY INSIGHTS DISCUSSED:- Expectations = suffering — and 2025 proved it- Bitcoin is entering its “IPO moment” as long-term holders distribute- Fiscal dominance and policy inertia make inflation a structural feature, not a bug- The top 10 mega-cap stocks now represent 75% of U.S. GDP — a concentration risk hiding in plain sight- Owning a small allocation of the most tamper-resistant asset in history may be the best form of risk management- The future of advice: meeting clients where they are, not where the market says they should beSTU'S THESIS: “Bitcoin isn't about getting rich — it's about staying solvent. When money itself is changing, optionality becomes the ultimate form of wealth.”WHO IS STU BRADLEY?- Wealth Advisor — Hightower St. Louis (managing $1.6B for 400+ families)- Former Institutional Investor — HSBC, UBS, Vision Capital Advisors- CFA & CFP Charterholder — Bridging traditional finance with digital assets- Career Coach & Educator — Founder, J. Stuart Bradley Consulting- Advocate for sound money, long-term stewardship, and client-first financial planningCHAPTERS:00:00 - Intro & Stu's Background03:00 - From Wall Street to Hightower06:00 - The $20 Smoothie & the Inflation Epiphany10:30 - Bitcoin as Stewardship, Not Speculation15:00 - Longevity Risk & Portfolio Construction21:00 - Peace of Mind Over Price Action27:00 - How Advisors Discuss Bitcoin with Clients33:00 - 2025: No Blow-Off Top, No Problem38:00 - Fiscal Dominance & QT's End44:00 - The K-Shaped Economy Explained50:00 - Inflation, Inequality, and the Role of Scarce Assets56:00 - The Great Wealth Transfer01:00:00 - Preparing for the Future of Advice01:03:00 - Outro & ResourcesScarce Assets: a biweekly podcast presented by Onramp which delves into the emergent role of bitcoin in finance professionals' strategies and outlooks. Hosted by Jackson Mikalic, Scarce Assets provides invaluable insights for wealth managers aiming to outperform their peers in the decades ahead. Finance professionals everywhere know about stocks and bonds, but the macroeconomic outlook requires that serious investors pay close attention to another category: Scarce Assets.Please subscribe to Onramp Media channels and sign up for weekly Research & Analysis to get access to the best content in the ecosystem weekly.
Recorded live on November 13, 2025 by the Steamboat Institute, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=769yfyFVt0QIs capitalism truly the moral engine of human flourishing—or does socialism offer a better path?In this sharp, high-stakes debate, Yaron Brook (Ayn Rand Institute) and Bhaskar Sunkara (Jacobin, The Nation) go head-to-head on the fundamental question shaping the future of freedom, prosperity, and the human condition.Hosted by the Steamboat Institute in partnership with the Center for the Study of Government and the Individual, this event brings moral philosophy, economics, politics, and human nature into a collision course.If you care about prosperity, inequality, freedom, or the future of liberal democracy… this debate is essential viewing.00:00 – 13:00 | Welcome & Opening13:00 – 15:00 | Pre-Debate Audience Poll15:00 – 20:00 | Opening Statement – Yaron Brook20:00 – 26:00 | Opening Statement – Bhaskar Sunkara26:00 – 32:00 | What Do “Capitalism” and “Socialism” Actually Mean?32:00 – 34:00 | Who Really Has the Power?34:00 – 40:00 | What Is Human Flourishing?40:00 – 47:00 | Which System Serves Healthcare & Childcare Better?47:00 – 55:00 | What Counts as a “Basic Need”?55:00 – 57:00 | What Should Education Actually Produce?57:00 – 1:00:00 | Are Military & Firefighters “Socialism”? 1:00:00 – 1:03:00 | Do Unskilled Workers Have Power Under Capitalism?1:03:00 – 1:05:00 | What Would It Take to Implement Socialism?1:05:00 – 1:11:00 | Can Socialism Coexist with Human Nature?1:11:00 – 1:19:20 | How Do We Prevent Tyranny?1:19:20 – 1:28:00 | Closing Statements1:28:00 – 1:33:15 | Post-Debate Poll ResultsSocialism promises equality. Capitalism delivers opportunity. Which path leads to real prosperity?
Mathematician Eugenia Cheng wants us to rethink our relationship to math -- and equality. We hear how different paths lead to identical outcomes in math, and how that can help us all in real life.
Legal scholar Ray Madoff discusses her new book, "The Second Estate: How the Tax Code Made an American Aristocracy."
Recently, Bethany and Luigi joined economist and wealth inequality expert Branko Milanovic in front of a live audience at the Aspen Ideas Festival to explore how capitalism, democracy, and income inequality interact. Together, the three discussed the pervasiveness of income inequality around the world, its connections with democracy and political stability, if the inequality that really matters is that between countries, and if capitalism and democracy aren't as intricately connected as we thought. As a scholar of China's economic system, Milanovic discussed how much of the country's success can even be attributed to capitalism. In the process, the three unpacked if capitalist societies, particularly in the West, are able to address the very inequality they have produced. Are there free-market mechanisms to correct for inequality or does there need to be government intervention? If income inequality poses a dire threat to democracy, what should capitalists do to preserve the institutions that enabled their wealth in the first place?Read a book review of Branko Milanovic's Visions of Inequality: From the French Revolution to the End of the Cold War and how his analysis of class and inequality applies to contemporary America, written by former ProMarket student editor Surya GowdaAlso mentioned: Revisit our episode with Thomas Piketty on creating a more equal society and with Martin Wolf: Is Capitalism Killing Democracy?Also revisit our episodes with Sen. Phil Gramm and Matthew Desmond on Poverty in America: Terrible Scourge or a Measurement Error? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
In this episode of China Decode, hosts Alice Han and James Kynge unpack how the global auto industry is facing a new chip crisis. Dutch chipmaker Nexperia has halted shipments to China after a payment and ownership dispute, forcing carmakers like Honda and Volkswagen to scramble for crucial semiconductor parts. They explain how a fight over factory control became the latest flashpoint in the U.S.–China tech rivalry — and why Europe is caught in the middle. Then, they turn to China's most pressure-packed test: the Gaokao. With more than 10 million students vying for spots at top universities, the exam has long promised meritocracy but increasingly reflects inequality. Alice and James explore how this high-stakes system shapes opportunity, status, and ambition in modern China — and why reform remains so elusive. Finally, Trump and Xi agree to a one-year trade truce, pledging to ease tariffs, restart soybean purchases, and cool tensions over rare earths and fentanyl. But can either side really trust the other to follow through? The hosts break down what's at stake — and whether this pause is a real breakthrough or just a political timeout. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
The economy the past 5 years have been really rough. High food prices. Skyrocketing housing prices. Unemployment rates are creeping up. The government shutdown has escalated economic precarity even more. At the root of all of this is the billionaire class. In our latest, we talk with author and policy analyst Chuck Collins (@inequalityorg) about the billionaire class and how they ruining our lives and planet. Bio//Chuck Collins is the Director of the Program on Inequality and the Common Good at the Institute for Policy Studies, where he co-edits Inequality.org. He is an expert on U.S. inequality and the racial wealth divide and author of over ten books and dozens of reports about inequality, climate disruption, philanthropy, the racial wealth divide, affordable housing, and billionaire wealth dynasties. He is the author at Oligarch Watch at The Nation.His new book is Burned by Billionaires: How Concentrated Wealth and Power is Ruining Our Lives and Planet.-----------------