Economics Explained - podcast cover

Economics Explained

Economics Explainedpodcasters.spotify.com
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.

Episodes

The Most Mismanaged Economy in the World

Venezuela, a nation blessed with the largest oil reserves in the world, has shockingly transformed from potential powerhouse to economic disaster. In this video, we dive into the mismanagement that led to a collapse so severe that international agencies stopped tracking it. Explore how internal failures and external pressures pushed this once-promising country to the brink, and whether there's any chance left for a recovery. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Aug 23, 202418 min

Spain Was a Warning

In 2006, Spain's economy was booming, experiencing unparalleled growth since the turn of the millennium. With per capita output more than doubling in just six years, some economists predicted that Spain could surpass Germany in per capita income within five years, positioning itself as a central power in Europe. The real estate sector thrived, with agents becoming local celebrities and tradespeople in high demand. However, this growth was unsustainable. The global financial crisis (GFC) and the ...

Aug 09, 202418 min

Brazil Should Be a Superpower, but It Isn’t...

2016 was supposed to mark Brazil's rise as an economic superpower. The country saw rapid growth in industries, surpassing India and Italy, and nearing France and the UK in economic output. Improvements in healthcare, education, and political stability painted a promising picture. But by 2016, the dream was shattered. The Rio Olympics, intended to showcase Brazil's success, became a global embarrassment. Delayed construction, waste-filled arenas, and the event's high costs bankrupted the city, le...

Jul 29, 202417 min

Do The Olympics Predict Economic Disaster?

For decades, hosting the Olympics has been seen as a prestigious opportunity to showcase a nation's success. However, history shows that these events often coincide with economic challenges. Russia hosted the 2014 Winter Olympics, facing economic decline shortly after. Brazil's economy stagnated following the 2016 Rio Olympics, and China's growth slowed during the 2022 Winter Olympics. With France facing economic tensions ahead of its upcoming Olympics and Australia slated to host in 2032, it's ...

Jul 22, 202417 min

How Hawaii Became a Poor State Made For the Rich

Hawaii, the last state to join the USA, is renowned not just for its pivotal role in military operations and its allure as a top tourist destination, but also for its significant economic contributions on a global scale. Despite its modest size and remote location, the Hawaiian Islands boast an economic output that rivals entire countries like Bulgaria and Ecuador. This video delves into how Hawaii has carved out this economic niche, presenting a unique case study that challenges conventional me...

Jul 15, 202419 min

How a new type of immigration is radically changing Portugal's economy.

In this video, we explore the dramatic changes in Portugal's economy driven by the influx of digital nomads. Discover how warm sandy beaches, vibrant culture, excellent internet speeds, and affordable living costs have transformed Portugal into a top destination for remote workers from high-income countries. We delve into the benefits, like increased spending on local goods and services and investment in businesses, particularly in Lisbon, where cafes, coworking spaces, and the tourism sector th...

Jul 08, 202412 min

Is Ireland's Economy a Scam?

Welcome to Ireland, a nation with two contrasting economic realities. On the surface, Ireland's economy appears as one of the world’s richest, only behind Luxembourg in the IMF rankings, surpassing global economic leaders like Switzerland and the USA. But delve deeper, and you discover a more complex narrative. For much of its history, Ireland has grappled with severe poverty and economic instability. Yet, the past two decades have painted a picture of unprecedented wealth, presenting Ireland as...

Jul 05, 202418 min

Why Mississippi Is the Worst State in the USA

Mississippi, once the richest state in the USA, now has the lowest GDP per capita, highest poverty rate, and slowest growth. What caused this dramatic decline? Let's find out. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jun 25, 202415 min

Could The Philippines Predict Our Next Decade?

Discover the hidden gem of Southeast Asia! The Philippines is rapidly growing into a global economic powerhouse, leveraging its vibrant workforce and unique strategies. Uncover the fascinating influence of its complex history with the USA and dive into the challenges it faces, from corruption to inequality. Join us on an exciting journey as we rank the Philippines on the Economics Explained Leaderboard! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jun 21, 202419 min

How Has Turkey Been Going?

Turkey's economy faces severe inflation and a 96% devaluation of the Lira. Despite recent interest rate hikes, stabilization remains elusive. Will Turkey overcome its economic challenges, or is it too late? Discover the unfolding story! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jun 17, 202416 min

What Makes The Netherlands So Special?

Discover the Netherlands' unique economic journey, from pioneering modern trade and finance to overcoming Dutch Disease. See why it's one of the most productive and livable countries today. Can other economies learn from the Dutch model? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jun 14, 202415 min

The Ranks of Global Billionaires: Not All Billionaires Are Made Equal

Jeff Bezos and Bill Gates, two gentlemen fighting back and forth for the title of world richest man. These two individuals seem very very similar, for starters, of course, they are both billionaires, an elite worldwide club with around 2 and a half thousand members, they are both white, male tech entrepreneurs, from the united states, and even more specifically from Seattle, and even more specifically their primary residence is in Medina a same small town just outside of Seattle. So it looks lik...

Jun 02, 202418 min

The Economics of Disasters

The Wuhan Coronavirus, the active impeachment of a sitting US president, an earthquake and volcanic eruption in the Philippines, floods in Indonesia, the death of Kobe Bryant, magnitude 7.7 earthquakes in the Caribbean and even my homeland down under has been on fire and then buried in ice and then on fire again so yeah the first month of 2020 is really trying its best to kill us all I guess what we are here for is to explore what all of these things mean to an economy both at a local and global...

May 30, 202414 min

The Economy of Sweden

Sweden is a beautiful Scandinavian country famed for its beautiful people, flat-packed furniture, PewDiePie and meatballs. Now of course if you hadn’t guessed by the channels title we are only here to look Sweden's economy, and it is a remarkable one at that. Sweden is home to one of the highest standards of living in the world and is often held in extremely high regard when it comes to workers rights and general quality of life indicators such as working hours, happiness rates and life expectan...

May 26, 202417 min

The Economy of the Philippines

The Philippines, a beautiful tropical archipelago of islands that forms one of the most important economies in the world today. This nation often flies under the radar as a quiet achiever but it is both interesting and important to understand because it may be the quintessential 21st-century growth nation, and that is not to say it is some super modern nation from the future, but rather it is to say that the story of the success and failures of the Philippines is by extension the story of the wo...

May 23, 202417 min

The Economy of the Soviet Union

The Soviet Union is one of the most historically significant economies to understand, not only because it was the home to some of the most controversial economic practices ever, not only because it was a nation that altered world politics for the latter half of the entire twentieth century, or because it was home to one of the largest and most rapid economic declines in modern history, no no, all of that stuff is important and we will explore it, but more important than all of that is that even ...

May 18, 202417 min

The Economy of South Africa

South Africa is an economy that is really important to understand as a kind of potential outcome case study of inequality gone bad. The nation itself, on paper at least is not so terrible, it is actually one of if not the wealthiest nation in all of Africa, trading back and forth quite frequently with Nigeria. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

May 12, 202416 min

The Tragic Reality of Brain Drain on Poor Countries

The phenomenon of brain drain is when the best and brightest workers from poor countries immigrate to rich countries in the pursuit of higher pay and living conditions. This can hinder the development of poor countries because many of their best workers leave. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

May 08, 202415 min

The World's Poorest Country is Sitting on $24 Trillion

With GDP per capita of just $2 per day, the Democratic Republic of the Congo is one of the poorest, if not the poorest nation on Earth. However, this does not have to be the case. The country has massive deposits of rare earth minerals including Cobalt, which is an essential input to the production of lithium-ion batteries. The mineral resources are estimated to be worth $24 trillion. So why is the DRC so poor? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

May 05, 202417 min

Why Canada Is Banning Foreigners From Buying Homes

Canada is banning foreign investors from buying homes for two years to address the pandemic-induced surge in home prices. Economists warn it could have long-term effects on the economy if not managed well. Other economies are closely watching Canada to see if the move pays off. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

May 01, 202415 min

Why India Is Stuck Between Poverty and Superpower

Check out The Next Wave, Hubspot's AI podcast here: https://lnk.to/thenextwaveEE For decades now economists have been predicting that India would become an economic superpower, and in part, it has. India's workforce is younger than China's and wages are lower meaning they have been well placed to take low ticket manufacturing jobs from China. But could we expect to see India's economy grow and possibly even surpass China in the next decade? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/ad...

Apr 29, 202416 min

The Failing Economy of Pakistan

Pakistan'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

Apr 16, 202419 min

Why Bangladesh Won't Be The Next China

Bangladesh 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

Apr 08, 202414 min

Do Bank Failures Always Cause Recessions? (SVB)

Last 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

Apr 05, 202419 min

Has The EU Actually Been Good For Europe?

Head 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 grow...

Apr 03, 202414 min

How Zimbabwe's Lithium Export Ban Could Transform it into Africa's Next Superpower

Zimbabwe 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

Mar 30, 202419 min

Why We Can’t Just Stop Oil

Oil 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/adchoi...

Mar 25, 202416 min

Somalia is a Surprisingly Functional Anarchy

Head 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

Mar 21, 202417 min

Why Greece Is Suddenly Doing Really Well

Greece 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

Mar 18, 202417 min

USA Outgrows China… Because of Florida?

Florida 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

Mar 15, 202416 min
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