The David McWilliams Podcast - podcast cover

The David McWilliams Podcast

David McWilliams & John Daviswww.davidmcwilliams.ie

The aim of this weekly podcast is to make economics easy, uncomplicated and accessible. With the world at a political, technological and financial tipping point, economics has never been so important to all of us and yet, it’s made inaccessible and complicated by so many.

I’ve always thought what is complicated is rarely important and what is important is rarely complicated.


That will be our motto.


Every week we are going to tease out some big economic or political issue facing us, not just here in Ireland but in Europe and further afield. Globalisation has brought us all together. We all face similar challenges whether you live in Dublin, London, Minnesota or Milan.


If you would like to enjoy all of our content ad-free and have early access to episodes, subscribe to DMCW+ on Apple Podcast.


Want to join our crew? Join at davidmcwilliams.ie/crew, where you can enjoy ad-free listening, as well as exclusive bonus content such as premium episodes, our macroeconomics course, early access to episodes and pre-sale access to tickets for Dalkey Book Festival & Kilkenomics.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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Episodes

Irish elections and the differences between Fine Gael & Fianna Fáil

With an election coming and the RIC debate still raging, we examine the deep differences between FF and FG, what our grandfathers did in 1920, the class basis for 1916, Leinster Rugby and the Christian Brothers Revolutionaries and why Irish politics might be more sophisticated than you imagine. Hope you like it!! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jan 14, 202036 minEp. 41

USA, IRAN and the 3 M’s that precede wars

This week has been dominated by news of the rapidly escalating conflict between Iran and the United States - today we breakdown where it came from, what it means and what might be coming in the future - including the 3 M’s that usually precede wars Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jan 07, 202034 minEp. 40

The economics of love

Money, assets, yield and dividends - all table stakes of economics, but what if there was something underlying all these? This week we talk about the crucial but all too often overlooked aspect of economics: love Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dec 24, 201932 minEp. 38

Boris Johnson, the last PM of the UK?

The elections are over, Boris Johnson has won a massive and the UK is changed utterly. What does it all mean for all of us, where are we now heading and could Boris Johnson be the last PM of the UK? This week we invite the brilliant economist Diane Coyle, to tease out the issues. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dec 17, 201941 minEp. 37

Why the British election is about so much more than who will be the next PM. It’s about the very fabric of British society - explained with FT chief political commentator Robert Shrimsley - one is the sharpest political minds covering the UK right now

On Thursday the United Kingdom will vote once again - and its choice will have a drastic impact on the future of the country, most notably with Brexit hanging in the balance. Robert Shrimsley joins us to demystify what lies ahead and then we look at how Argentina can teach us lessons about bad management and how those lessons can be applied to the UK Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dec 10, 201938 minEp. 36

A hard look at the human impact of the housing crisis

Rising housing costs are not new news - but all too often the human element of the problem is overlooked. Today we discuss the very real human aspect of the problem, how it has impacted society and where it might go from here. Hope you enjoy! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nov 19, 201943 minEp. 33

Economics and the law of unintended consequences

Economics rarely behaves the way decision makers intended it to - From the Berlin wall to the rise of populism we look at the unintended consequences of economic and political decisions that have impacted history and that are occurring as we speak Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nov 12, 201938 minEp. 32

What does a post-meat world means for society and the economy?

When Burger King goes veggie - you know something whopper is stirring. This week we take a look at the rapid shift in global meat consumption, how different areas of the world are reacting and the deep ramifications that our eating habits have on the economy. Hope you enjoy! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nov 05, 201936 minEp. 31

Is the age of the job over?

This week’s episode is a rollicking Joycean trip around the world from Morocco to Buffalo, focusing on why great artists like James Joyce and great business people are the same sorts, generating commercial and intellectual energy through curiosity and their own skin in the game; in addition, why openness, tolerance and liberalism, are the key to a dynamic economy. Plus Hemingway, Bloom, the Erie Canal and the Ice Age! Hope you enjoy! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....

Oct 29, 201940 minEp. 30

Brexit - are we there yet? Plus, how the map of the Mid East has been redrawn in the week - all brought to you from the Atlas Mountains in Morocco.

This weeks podcast brought to you from high up in the Atlas Mountains in Morocco aims to explain the latest Brexit Boloxology and from the Arab world, how lines in the sand written by colonialists one hundred years ago continue to haunt the Kurds, Iraqis, Turks and the Irish! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Oct 22, 201939 minEp. 29

Brexit endgame: a plot summary

What have Coleen Rooney, Boris Johnson and Leo Varadkar all got in common? Tales from the Brexit end game, a bit of economics and the political twilight for the 400 year old Project Britain Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Oct 15, 201935 minEp. 28

We need to fix the root problem: wealth inequality

Here’s the latest episode on the overarching political/social/economic issue of our day, wealth inequality. How has it happened, why is it profoundly worrying and how we can solve it - enjoy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Oct 08, 201943 minEp. 27

How to get ready for globalization 3.0

Small countries live and die by the quality of their strategic thinking. This week’s podcast focuses on how small countries can truly transform themselves, clutching victory from the jaws of defeat, by completely re-thinking the relationship with multinational companies. Globalization 3.0 here we come! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Oct 01, 201933 minEp. 25

Out of Africa

I’ve just come back from Kenya, this week we are discussing poverty, relentless entrepreneurialism, the role of technology in transforming Africa and why it will be the site of the next battle between America and China Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sep 24, 201936 minEp. 25

A future warning from past cities!

This week we tackle the matter of future cities - as urban living becomes financially impossible for the middle class around the world how can we find a way forward that accommodates everyone? Through the lens of history we try to make sense of it all and propose a path forward Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sep 17, 201938 minEp. 24

Boris Johnson is not a politician, he’s a gambler

This week we analyse why Boris Johnson is not a politician, how different societies react to democratic struggles and why bottom-up societies is a better way forward than the traditional top-down structures many of us have today. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sep 10, 201939 minEp. 23

Curious minds - Discussing Turkey and losing democracy with Ece Temelkuran

For this month's curious minds episode we talk with Ece Temelkuran, one of Turkey’s best-known journalists and political commentators about her latest book- How to Lose a Country: The 7 Steps from Democracy to Dictatorship, her own personal experience in Turkey and what the world should understand from it. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sep 05, 201928 minEp. 22

Trade wars, amazon fires & the unexpected consequences of economics

Economic decisions impact many facets of our lives - often in unexpected ways. This week we connect the dots between seemingly unrelated events and explain how economics decisions are at the core of it all. Plus why countries need to grieve and learn how to adapt from loss of power & influence Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Aug 27, 201938 minEp. 20

Ireland, Brexit and the Great British Breakoff, from Britsplaing to Explaining and lots more in between!! Enjoy

As Brexit moves towards the endgame and the UK government’s new policy appears to centre on inflicting as much economic damage as possible on Ireland to change the “backstop”, we explore why the Brexiteers are so ignorant about Ireland, how come Ireland is now considerably richer than the UK, more globalized and more resilient. In short, when so-called “Global Britain” exports 1.5 times more to “little” Ireland than it does to China, you know the Brexiteers are living in an economic la la land! ...

Aug 20, 201937 minEp. 19

Are we heading towards a global economic slowdown?

With the central bank cutting interest rates last week we thought it would be a good idea to analyze the current market signals and try to breakdown what might be looming in the future for the global economy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Aug 13, 201938 minEp. 18

Trying to untangle Iran and the Middle East relationships

This week we dive into the Middle East as tension have currently been ramping up between the United States and Iran - How did we get here, what do we need to know to understand the middle east and why is Turkey the wildcard? That’s what we’re going to attempt to explain. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Aug 06, 201946 minEp. 17

Curious minds - Discussing the evolution of journalism and technology with Tom Friedman

Today we’re introducing a new monthly segment to the podcast that I’m calling curious minds. These are going to be a series of 1-on-1 conversations with various personalities offering unique viewpoints that I want to share with you. I’m kicking things off with the legendary American correspondent Tom Friedman, 3 times Pulitzer winner and New York Times columnist talking about the evolution of journalism, the position of the United States and technology’s impact on all of us. Hosted on Acast. See...

Aug 01, 201928 minEp. 16

China's unique approach to foreign influence

In 2100 four out of ten people on the plant will be African. What does that mean for economics, politics and geo-political relations. While the West hasn't been looking, China has made a huge bet on Africa, lending billions to African countries. Will this bet come off and if it does, what will it mean for all of us Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jul 30, 201940 minEp. 15

The next phase of Brexit through its history, its psychology and its economics

Boris Johnson's rise to MP marks a new chapter for Brexit. As we enter this next phase, we tease out how we got here: Looking at where the movement started. Attempting to understand what are the driving forces of Brexit (its not economics!). And finally, looking at what the future holds for the UK’s economy if Brexit goes the way Boris Johnson wants (and why Leo Varadkar has Johnson by the balls) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....

Jul 23, 201943 minEp. 14

Why healthy economies are inherently unstable not inherently stable!

What do you get when you cross Donna Summer, David Bowie, Bitcoin, Joseph Schumpeter, creativity and innovation? You get the essence of the modern capitalist economy, something called “creative destruction” - the most potent force in economics. In this podcast ,we explore the role of disruption in the economy from 1970s disco beats to 21st century blockchain technology. Hope you enjoy it and tell us about what you thought! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....

Jul 16, 201924 minEp. 13

The failed war on drugs

It’s time to face the facts - the war on drugs has been a failed experiment. Anyone with a basic knowledge of economics and supply and demand will know that prohibition drives prices upwards, drive profits into the hands of criminal gangs and those very profit coaxes more gangs into the business, leading to more and more violence. It's time to call time on the war on drugs and apply common sense economics to this global issue. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....

Jul 09, 201931 minEp. 12
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