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This episode delves into Michel Houellebecq's novel "Submission," moving beyond its surface-level discussion of Islam in France to uncover deeper themes of civilizational exhaustion and spiritual emptiness in the West. Rasheed and Henry explore how the protagonist's submission is driven by male desire and a lack of meaning, contrasting it with traditional dystopian narratives. The discussion also touches upon the novel's historical and political context within France and critiques the common misunderstandings of Houellebecq's work.
Send us Fan Mail What if the most subversive libertarian of the twentieth century wasn’t Hayek or Nozick, but Michel Foucault? In this episode, Rasheed and Mark Pennington dismantle the worn-out cliché of Foucault as the Left’s philosopher of suspicion and instead expose how his late work aligns disturbingly well with the libertarian project. Forget the caricature of Foucault as the theorist of discipline and surveillance. In this episode he appears as the radical voice warning that freedom erod...
Send us Fan Mail Rasheed sits down with IE Law Professor Adrián Rubio to unpack the complex relationship between European Union law, market liberalization, and the resulting concentration of power in Brussels. Rubio shines light on how EU law has historically opened markets across the continent, but notes the centralization of power set in motion by today’s regulatory machinery at the expense of key economic and individual freedoms. EU Law: the Great Liberator - sectors like telecoms, airlines, ...
Send us Fan Mail Spain’s fiscal architecture is more than a ledger‑sheet debate; it is, as economist Jesús Fernández‑Villaverde, the Howard Marks Presidential Professor of Economics at the University of Pennsylvania, reminds us, the very skeleton of the modern state. Drawing on Schumpeter’s maxim that “the state is taxation and taxation is the state,” Fernández‑Villaverde opens the conversation by weaving the American and French revolutions into a wider argument: when you refashion a nation’s ta...
Send us Fan Mail CPSI Director Rasheed and Economist John Cochrane discuss the structural complexities of the Eurozone’s monetary system, focusing particularly on TARGET2 balances. Trade imbalances within the Eurozone are no longer offset through private financial claims, but have instead created a vast network of public-sector IOUs among national and central banks. The transformation of the Euro into a fiscal conduit has introduced new risks, especially in the case a country exiting the Eurozon...
Send us Fan Mail "Taipei won't have any formal western diplomatic ties in 5 years." This ominous prediction underscores the shift of trade and soft power in the Americas. On this episode we explore Taiwan's dwindling influence in the Caribbean and America's reactionary tactics to its own international relations complacency which has left the door wide open for its largest rival. How does America plan to counteract China's foothold on its doorstep and what do these knee jerk policies mean for the...
Send us Fan Mail In this no-nonsense conversation, Professor Carlos Rodríguez Braun — author of El Pensamiento de Milei — helps us decipher the often confusing worldview of Argentina’s president, Javier Milei. We go through the philosophical paths that took Milei from admiring Chicago-school thinkers to openly praising Rothbard’s anarcho-capitalism, and we examine the often jarring contradictions revealed by his alliances with figures like Bolsonaro, Abascal, and Meloni. Key Points Anarcho-Capit...
Send us Fan Mail Nostalgia can be a powerful force. This is extremely evident in the musings of our discussion on Jamaican Dancehall. Join us for a tea-time chat on Reggae’s vulgar, and culturally rebellious cousin. Dancehall is a rather vibrant and colorful subgenre of Reggae rooted deeply in Caribbean culture, but the similarities are surface-level at best. The genre is criticized for its overt vulgarity, hypersexualization, and at times, problematic lyrics which have exported varying levels o...
Send us Fan Mail In this episode, Rasheed is joined by Lord Sewell of the British House of Lords, for an insightful discussion on education, race, and the socio-political dynamics in the UK and the Caribbean. They explore the myths of systemic discrimination, and the evolving narratives surrounding immigration, colonialism, and identity. Mind the Gap Lord Sewell highlights the challenges Afro-Caribbean students face in the UK, emphasizing the impact of family structure and socioeconomic conditio...
Send us Fan Mail Full transcript at www.cpsi.media Francisco Zalles, Ecuadorian Economist and Professor gives us an in-depth account of Ecuador’s journey to dollarization. A series of unfortunate events… The economic crisis of the late 1990s, marked by a banking collapse due to external shocks (El Niño triggered the underperformance of the banana industry), poor fiscal policies, and mismanagement by the Central Bank, paved the way for drastic monetary reform in Ecuador. A good policy is a good p...
Send us Fan Mail While Barcelona scapegoats tourism for its housing shortage, Madrid is setting the standard for development with initiatives to improve its housing stock. The “capital of capitalism” is once again employing proven liberal governance techniques to position itself as a premier city in Europe. Diego Sanchez de la Cruz returns to the show to discuss policies being enacted to expand living options for the fastest-growing city in Spain. By abolishing oppressive rent controls, improvin...
Send us Fan Mail It's not all love, peace and brotherhood and if you're looking for Bob Marley, you're out of luck there too. Join CPSI director Rasheed Griffith and podcast producer Shem Best for an unfiltered foray into reggae, its historical starting point, political ramifications and cultural proliferation throughout the region and the world. Reggae is first and foremost a vehicle of protest. We explore the societal context which forced the hands of the Rastafarians, producing anthems of ant...
Send us Fan Mail At 25 years of age, José Pérez Barboni is one of the youngest members of Panama’s National Assembly. Join us for a thought-provoking discussion on the intricate state of politics and governance on the isthmus and the peculiar system of elections that continues to shape the development of one of Latin America’s most pivotal economies. More than a canal… Panama, the proverbial (and literal) bridge of the Americas, is not defined simply by the infamous trans-oceanic marvel that is ...
Send us Fan Mail The role of the Church in dismantling the slave trade must not be understated. This is just one of many hard truths we examine on this episode featuring British writer and medical doctor, Alexander Chula. From his book "Goodbye Dr Banda: Lessons for the West from a Small African Country", Dr. Chula guides us through harmful misconceptions on Western culture. Western culture, the Classics and many of its trappings were not simply tools of subjugation. To frame them solely as such...
Send us Fan Mail Would V.S. Naipaul have made a good venture capitalist? Join us for a whirlwind episode with prolific British writer, Henry Oliver as we tackle thought-provoking inquiries surrounding the age of heroes, cities as imaginary spaces, the tragedy of unique talent and, the late bloomer. Imaginary Cities To best describe a place you hold dear, you must leave it. Or perhaps you find it oppressive to your ideas. Again, you must leave it. Henry describes cities written by icons like Joyc...
Send us Fan Mail Full transcript on cpsi.media. The gay “movement” in the Caribbean has stalled and we think it’s because they haven’t done their due diligence. The various rights groups throughout the region have skipped the necessary steps in the evolutionary progression of gay concepts in the Caribbean. They’ve hastily pushed to emulate their more developed American and European colleagues and now risk a paralyzing backlash that could set gay rights in the region back for generations. How hav...
Send us Fan Mail The traditional definition of sovereignty is not afforded to the small island states of the Caribbean and should be redefined in our newly evolved and globalized world. Ivelaw Griffith joins us for another insightful discussion of the political balance of the Caribbean, this time in the context of true independence versus perceived independence. "Who is really paying the bills?" Dr. Griffith brings attention to the honesty of politicians and their willingness to have difficult t...
Send us Fan Mail Economic collapse, the largest native exodus in Latin American history, and border woes with Guyana. In this episode, we sit with political analyst Parsifal D'Sola to unravel the last three decades of Venezuela's tumultuous history and the path ahead for the embattled former juggernaut of South America. Venezuela has fallen from its prized position as the most influential economy on the continent. Its financial influence is now only felt in the massive burden imposed by the mass...
Send us Fan Mail And we mean that. Rihanna's cultural relevance (despite her foray into cosmetics and fashion) remains deeply rooted in Caribbean society. Behind the generic summer beats and a few questionable lyrics, lies a regional thinker who has created 8 memorable albums, each chronicling her own evolution and development as an artist. Join us for another frank musical discussion, journeying from "Pon De Replay" to "Work", as we cover Rihanna's cultural influence and contributions to the Ca...
Send us Fan Mail How do we categorize the Milei administration and its policies? Today on the show, we're joined by Argentinian economist Iván Carrino in a deep dive into political movements throughout the country's history, from the authoritarian economics of Juan Domingo Perón to the controversial interventionism of the Kirchners. Can Milei's own brand of Libertarian populism work to revitalize Argentina? Argentina has fallen from lofty heights, and all eyes are on Javier Milei to right the sh...
Send us Fan Mail On this episode, we're joined by Patri Friedman of Pronomos Capital to discuss the more practical facets of building a charter city. What are the building blocks of a viable charter city project? At what milestone can a charter city be deemed successful, and what common mistakes can a nascent city stumble upon? Friedman himself is in favour of corporate governance, but also expands on and compares alternative methods of administration and explores the pitfalls that could lead to...
Send us Fan Mail In a previous episode ( Madrid: the Capital of Capitalism ), we explored the nature of governance in Spain's capital. However, the bigger picture for the largest country on the Iberian peninsula is one of political turmoil and deadlock. Economist Daniel Lacalle joins us for a thought-provoking discussion and a somewhat cautionary tale for the Caribbean region. The current political stalemate stems from the 2017 Catalonia Declaration of Independence, which Lacalle describes as mo...
Send us Fan Mail On this episode of the show, Rasheed is joined by international lawyer Thomas Laryea, who specializes in the mediation process for sovereign debt restructuring. As a senior lawyer with the IMF, Thomas holds a unique vantage point at the tables of the negotiation between state debtors and creditors when financial instability requires a reevaluation of ongoing agreements. The Caribbean is no stranger to Laryea's field, with several members having undergone their own restructuring ...
Send us Fan Mail Navigate the Barbadian political landscape with Rasheed Griffith and CPSI Podcast Producer Shem Best. In this episode, we discuss the evolution and decline of governance on the island, starting with one of its most prolific Prime Ministers, Owen Arthur. What tipped the scales for the David Thompson administration's rise after over a decade of BLP rule? What disastrous decisions paved the way for Mottley's landslide victory in 2018? Barbados' Westminster-style government structur...
Send us Fan Mail Where does Caribbean tech infrastructure stand today? Join Cybersecurity expert Neil Harper as we investigate the slowdown in innovation and standards adoption that could further erode the region's competitiveness and digital integrity. Could 5G benefit the Caribbean? Neil says yes, outlining the surface benefits of the latest in cellular data technologies and how they could provide resilience in a disaster-prone region. 5G offers the opportunity to bolster telecommunications in...
Send us Fan Mail What lessons can we learn from the current tech regulation climate in the United States? CPSI Director Shane Glynn joins us for a great discussion on efforts to reign in the juggernauts of the technology sector and the market factors driving the latest wave of scrutiny over household brands like TikTok and Amazon. The Caribbean may not be a major player in global information and technology, but it is a notable customer and beneficiary. Social media proliferation in the region fa...
Send us Fan Mail In this fascinating episode, we dive into a more nuanced discussion for implementing dollarization in Argentina. Nicolás Cachanosky joins our Executive Director, Rasheed Griffith, for a detailed and technical rundown of the steps needed to transition the beleaguered economy to the US Dollar. Firstly, there's the equilibrium rate. How many pesos would be needed to redeem one US dollar? How would this price be established? The government could remove the country's capital controls...
Send us Fan Mail Citizenship by Investment or CBI programs tend to get a bad rap due to the misconceptions surrounding how they work and how they came to be. Dr Kristin Surak shares some valuable insights on the origins of "passports for sale" and goes into more depth on the true meaning of citizenship through the eyes of the people and the state. Several islands in the Caribbean offer prominent CBI opportunities. It is estimated that more than 40% of Dominica's government revenue is derived fro...
Send us Fan Mail Should Canada dollarize? Should sovereign debt be modeled as risk-free? Why is monetarism unfit for modern financial markets? John Cochrane, Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institute and blogger at The Grumpy Economist, joins Rasheed on the podcast. They discuss core themes in macroeconomics and why financial tools are underutilized in stabilizing economies to make them more conducive for growth. Links and Recommendations Toward a Run-free Financial System by John H. Cochrane Fiscal...
Send us Fan Mail If you were asked to rank cities based on their level of libertarian policy implementation, it is very unlikely that at the top of the list, you would intuitively put Madrid. Of course, liberalism, classical liberalism, libertarianism, or capitalism are not usually thought of as being abundant in European cities. But on today's episode, we are going to be discussing with Diego Sánchez de la Cruz his newest book, "Liberalismo a la Madrileña" (Madrid-style Liberalism). How and why...
