Macrodose is on a winter break this week, but we’re excited to share a special recording from back in May 2024: the book launch of The Exhausted of the Earth by Ajay Singh Chaudhary. This compelling conversation, hosted by Dalia Gebrial, Lecturer in Geography and Social Justice at King’s College London, dives into the urgent political and scientific realities of the climate crisis. Ajay explores the bitter struggle between those clinging to the power, wealth, and security of the status quo and t...
Jan 01, 2025•58 min
This week, Macrodose teams up with our partner show The Break Down for a special crossover episode. James Meadway and Adrienne Buller look back on the whirlwind that was 2024 – a year defined by political upheaval, economic instability, and escalating climate crises. They revisit the standout stories of the year, from surging infectious diseases and climate-driven inflation to the unraveling of the post-war global order. Looking ahead to 2025, they explore the big macroeconomic trends we need to...
Dec 18, 2024•43 min
On this week's MACRODOSE: James Meadway explores the new Cold War as Trump gears up to escalate US-China trade tensions (1:47) and examines the broader geopolitical and environmental shifts challenging the postwar order (12:04). AI-Generated Production Networks Paper: https://aipnet.io/paper/ For exclusive content, including The Fix —Macrodose's monthly newsletter—and to support the show, visit: https://www.patreon.com/macrodose . Got a question or comment? Reach out to us at macrodose@planetbpr...
Dec 11, 2024•19 min
In 2024, we’re set to break a major climate threshold for the first time: this will be the first calendar year in which global average temperatures breach the 1.5 degree Celsius threshold enshrined in the Paris Agreement. Importantly, while one year at this temperature doesn’t mean all is lost, it does fire a profound warning shot over our faltering progress on mitigating and adapting to the climate crisis. While every fraction of a degree matters when it comes to the climate, the consensus is c...
Dec 05, 2024•43 min
On this week's MACRODOSE , James Meadway discusses the battle to develop climate-resilient potatoes (0:50), a new proposal on revamping Britain’s council farms (7:33) and a brief note on Trump’s new appointments, what can we expect from MAGA 2.0? (11:23). Abundance Report: https://www.in-abundance.org/latest/new-report-food-systems-in-common For more content, including The Fix - Macrodose's monthly newsletter - and to support the show, visit: https://www.patreon.com/macrodose Got a question or c...
Dec 04, 2024•17 min•Season 1Ep. 104
On this week's MACRODOSE , James Meadway explores the disappointing outcomes of COP29 in Baku, focusing on the economics of financing green transitions in the Global South (0:38), and examines how China’s $2 billion bond sale in Saudi Arabia reflects the rise of a multipolar world (8:16). For more content, including The Fix - Macrodose's monthly newsletter - and to support the show, visit: https://www.patreon.com/macrodose Got a question or comment? Reach us at macrodose@planetbproductions.co.uk...
Nov 27, 2024•14 min
On this week's MACRODOSE, James Meadway examines the growing political battle over food policy as farmers protest inheritance tax changes (0:46), new forecasts from the Network for Greening the Financial System on the economic damage climate change could inflict globally (7:11), and finally, James tackles a listener question: do we need more than a Green New Deal to revive our struggling economy? (11:24). NGFS Report: https://www.ngfs.net/sites/default/files/media/2024/11/05/ngfs_scenarios_high-...
Nov 20, 2024•18 min
In the wake of the US election, hot takes and autopsies of the Democrats’ fairly spectacular loss are a dime a dozen. Amid the swirl of diagnoses there has also been real fear about what a Trump presidency means for the climate — an issue that felt almost entirely absent from either campaign, despite its significant role in Biden’s policy platform. How should we understand what just happened? What comes next for climate policy, both in the US and, through its huge influence, in countries around ...
Nov 14, 2024•1 hr 1 min
On this week's MACRODOSE, James Meadway dives into the fallout from the US election, exploring what another four years of Trump could mean for US climate policy and the global economy (1:16), before turning to another major election—this time in Japan—where the ruling conservative coalition lost its majority in a snap election (7:58). With incumbents failing across the world, what lessons can we learn for the future of economics? For more content and to support the show, visit: https://www.patre...
Nov 13, 2024•14 min
Today we're publishing a crossover episode with our friends over at the Politics Theory Other podcast. Alex and James discussed what the result means for the global economy, US domestic policy and the wider context of a world in crisis. Support Macrodose and receive updates here: https://www.patreon.com/macrodose Support PTO, and receive some of the best political insights available anywhere: https://www.patreon.com/poltheoryother Got a question or comment? Reach us at macrodose@planetbproductio...
Nov 10, 2024•43 min
Last week we celebrated our 100th episode of the show with another live event! James was joined by Co-Leader of the Green Party, Carla Denyer MP , and economists Faiza Shaheen , and Grace Blakeley, to break down Labour's Autumn Budget. A massive thank you to everyone who joined us at Space4! Apologies to anyone awaiting our ELECTION ECONOMICS episode with Thea Riofrancos - we've had to delay that recording but we'll be posting a review of the election results once they are in. As always you'll f...
Nov 06, 2024•1 hr 22 min
Amid the threat of “Project 2025”, ongoing genocide in Gaza, and a nation-wide battle over reproductive rights, to name a few major issues, the climate crisis has been considerably sidelined in the US election taking place on November 5th. But even if it’s not grabbing headlines, what the United States does — or does not do — on climate has profound implications for the entire world. So where does climate stand in this election? With Kamala Harris praising both the Green New Deal and her role as...
Oct 31, 2024•47 min
On this week's MACRODOSE, James Meadway looks ahead to this afternoon’s Autumn Budget, breaking down what you need to know about Labour's devoutly “pro-growth” agenda and how it all fits into a bigger picture of our changing political and economic landscape (2:20). Check out our new ELECTION ECONOMICS series, available only for MACRODOSE supporters on Patreon, covering all things political economy ahead of the US election on 5th November. You can find our recent episode with Adam Tooze at patreo...
Oct 30, 2024•15 min
FULL EPISODE: patreon.com/Macrodose Election Economics is back! Over the next few weeks, James will be joined by an array of expert thinkers to cover all things political economy in the run-up to the US Presidential Election on 5th November. On this week’s show, James sat down with renowned economic historian Adam Tooze to discuss his recent writings on US political economy and foreign policy, how the two are shaped by longer term trends in American and global history, and where the upcoming ele...
Oct 28, 2024•14 min
In a 2023 referendum, the people of Ecuador voted 59% to 41% to stop exploiting oil in the Yasuní region, one of the most biodiverse places on Earth, with more tree species in one single hectare than in all of the landmass of Canada and the US combined. It was a massive break with the global status quo, in a year when fossil fuel use around the world reached record highs and profits soared. However, the referendum was not an overnight success. It built on years of struggle, including the failed ...
Oct 27, 2024•35 min
On this week's MACRODOSE, James Meadway dives into growing concerns over the use of surveillance technology by US supermarkets and how it’s being leveraged to drive price gouging (1:14), before turning to a recent BBC report on the UK’s health crisis and it's economic fallout (5:29). Check out our new ELECTION ECONOMICS series, available only for MACRODOSE supporters on Patreon, covering all things political economy ahead of the US election on 5th November. You can find tomorrow's episode with A...
Oct 23, 2024•13 min
We have become incredibly good at producing food. In doing so we have transformed our planet. Yet when we go to the supermarket or eat at a restaurant, the supply chains, labour and environmental impacts that went into our food are all but invisible. Those impacts are huge. Today, humans and livestock make up 96% of all mammals. Agriculture consumes about 70% of global freshwater, and is responsible for some 80% of deforestation. And yet despite producing more than enough food to feed everyone o...
Oct 17, 2024•49 min
On this week's MACRODOSE, James Meadway breaks down how climate change is wreaking havoc on Britain's harvests and threatening food security (2:04), why Modern Monetary Theory (MMT) doesn't offer the answers we need for today’s economic challenges (6:49), and the reasons behind the rising cost of butter, with climate change once again playing a key role (14:53) Check out our new ELECTION ECONOMICS series, available only for MACRODOSE supporters on Patreon, covering all things political economy a...
Oct 16, 2024•20 min•Ep. 98
FULL EPISODE: patreon.com/Macrodose Election Economics is back! Over the next few weeks, James will be joined by an array of expert thinkers to cover all things political economy in the run-up to the US Presidential Election on 5th November. On this week’s show, James sat down with the writer and economic historian Andrew Elrod, whose recent piece in Phenomenal World asks the simple but vital question: What Was Bidenomics: from build back better to the national security synthesis. You can check ...
Oct 15, 2024•16 min
On this week's Macrodose, James Meadway breaks down: China’s economic slowdown and new stimulus package (1:39), and how much will it actually cost to fix Britain’s broken economy? (9:37). We'll be releasing tickets for our upcoming live event to Patrons on Friday. Support the show and receive updates here: https://www.patreon.com/macrodose Got a question or comment? Reach us at macrodose@planetbproductions.co.uk For more about the work we do at Planet B Productions, go to planetbproductions.co.u...
Oct 09, 2024•17 min
On this week’s Macrodose, James Meadway breaks down the global economic impact of Storm Helene and how it could disrupt the tech supply chain (0:36), plus a listener question about changes to the fiscal rules and their potential effect on Keir Starmer's government (7:40). For more content and to support the show, visit: https://www.patreon.com/macrodose Got a question or comment? Reach us at macrodose@planetbproductions.co.uk For more about the work we do at Planet B Productions, go to planetbpr...
Oct 02, 2024•18 min
Today's episode of The Break Down explores the idea and the power of utopian fiction with guest Kim Stanley Robinson, the acclaimed science fiction author whose most recent novel, The Ministry for the Future, offers a harrowing and detailed vision of how we might respond to the climate crisis. Among other things, Adrienne and Stan discuss the politics of science and technology; the place of speculative fiction in an era dominated by nostalgia and the importance of utopia at a time when our polit...
Sep 26, 2024•55 min
On this week’s Macrodose, James Meadway breaks down: Rachel Reeves’ first speech as Chancellor at Labour Party Conference (0:46), the reopening of Three Mile Island to fuel a Microsoft data center (7:13), and a listener question on the concept of public luxury in an era of economic stagnation (12:08). For more content and to support the show, visit: https://www.patreon.com/macrodose Got a question or comment? Reach us at macrodose@planetbproductions.co.uk For more about the work we do at Planet ...
Sep 25, 2024•19 min
On this week’s Macrodose James Meadway breaks down: the resurgence of US fossil fuel power and its impact on the energy transition (0:39) Feedback from last week's theory episode, on the role of technology in combating the rising costs of climate change (5:17) For more content and to support the show, visit: https://www.patreon.com/macrodose Got a question or a comment? Reach us at macrodose@planetbproductions.co.uk For more about the work we do at Planet B Productions, go to planetbproduc...
Sep 18, 2024•13 min
Followers of Macrodose may remember our Roundtable episode from earlier this year, in which Adrienne spoke to James and the brilliant Brett Christophers about the many and varied reasons why — despite all the hype about how cheap renewables have become — the transition to renewable energy cannot be left to the market and the profit motive. What that conversation didn't leave us with, however, was an answer to the obvious question: if not the market, then what? Here to make the case for a simple ...
Sep 12, 2024•56 min
James returns after a Summer break! This week we're running a special episode on Macrodose theory, taking you behind the scenes to look at some of the theoretical building blocks of how we put the show together (1:23). What is Macrodose, why are we doing it, and who are the thinkers we should be reading to understand the world we now live in today? READING LIST Michael Kidron 'Failing growth and rampant costs': https://www.marxists.org/archive/kidron/works/2002/xx/ghosts.htm Jason W. Moore &...
Sep 11, 2024•17 min
On this week's Macrodose, Craig Gent explores algorithmic management. What is at stake when we speak of the creeping introduction of algorithms? Is it just an inevitable fact of the long march toward progress? Or does it open a new frontier that we need to take seriously and strategically? Craig Gent is a writer and researcher and the North of England Editor at Novara Media. He’s also the author of a new book Cyberboss: The Rise of Algorithmic Management and the New Struggle for Control at Work ...
Sep 04, 2024•16 min
As a listener of The Break Down, chances are you’re living in a political system that could be defined as “liberal”. But what does “liberalism” really describe? Is it about democracy? Free markets? The protection of individual freedom? Ask ten different people, and you’re likely to get ten different answers. According to Chris Shaw, liberalism can boiled down to a system oriented around the “bourgeoisie” or, to put it more simply, the “middle classes”, in which technocratic governance is preferr...
Aug 29, 2024•47 min
In this episode of Macrodose , guest host Isabelle Ferreras delves into the often-overlooked contradiction at the heart of modern democratic societies: while we live in democratic states, our workplaces are far from democratic. Isabelle explores the concept of "economic bicameralism" as a solution to bridge this gap and extend democratic principles into the workplace. She argues that if we truly value democracy, we must reconsider how power is distributed in the firms where we spend the majority...
Aug 28, 2024•21 min
On this week’s Macrodose James Meadway breaks down: the big tech stock plunge at the start of August (2:30), a brief look at new inflation figures in the UK (12:33) and Kamala Harris’ recent rhetoric on price controls (16:07). A massive thank you to all of our existing Patreon subscribers, your support keeps the show running and we are very grateful. If you have the means and enjoy our work, head over to patreon.com/Macrodose and subscribe today. Find our socials, newsletter and more here:...
Aug 21, 2024•22 min
