173: Did Britain’s slave trade help drive its industrial revolution?
New research reveals how Britain’s economy benefited from the brutal transatlantic slave trade and its slave holdings.
Episodes
Trade Talks
Chad P. Bown (Peterson Institute for International Economics) hosts a podcast about the economics of international trade and policy. From trade wars to trade deals, this podcast covers trade developments with insights and economic analysis from one of the world's top trade geeks.
Episodes
172. Peru’s “China shock”: Surprising turns and the women left behind
A flood of imports from China had an unexpected impact on the Peruvian clothing industry while discouraging Peru’s women workers.
171. What makes a supply chain resilient
New research examining India’s pandemic lockdowns sheds light on which supply chains stuck together, which broke apart, and why.
170. National security, semiconductors, and the US move to cut off China
The history behind the sudden US ban on certain exports to China, and how the policy affects the global semiconductor supply chain.
169. Taiwan’s risky trade opening and how it paid off
In the 1950s, Taiwan was the first poor economy to experiment with trade reform. How its success changed the course of history for others.
168. Did Trump’s trade war make China more protectionist?
Why it matters that Chinese public opinion toward trade and technology may have changed in response to US policy.
167. Will new US tax credits remake electric vehicle supply chains?
America’s new EV subsidies have some carmakers upset. Others are head scratching. Can supply chains diversify away from China?
166. Biden’s new Indo-Pacific talks vs. TPP
America’s last attempt at trade talks with countries in the region ended badly. How Biden’s IPEF approach is different.
165. The global minimum tax got left behind. What’s next?
The Inflation Reduction Act omits the key global minimum corporate tax agreed to by over 135 countries. Will cooperation still happen?
164. Why a notorious banana company spared workers in Costa Rica
For decades, United Fruit Company exploited banana workers across its Latin American plantations, except in Costa Rica. Why?
163. How poorer Americans ended up paying for US tariffs.
From fashion to forks to fishing reels, how US trade negotiations starting in the 1930s resulted in regressive import duties today.
162. Poor countries could once enforce WTO trade. That is now at risk.
The Advisory Centre on WTO Law made trade enforcement possible for poor countries. The Appellate Body crisis put that under threat.
161. Why sharing patents for COVID-19 medicines is not enough
Despite the Medicines Patent Pool, COVID-19 treatments remain scarce globally. Prashant Yadav explains what more is needed.
160. How Putin’s war could disrupt global food supplies
Joe Glauber explains the humanitarian crisis that looms if war cuts wheat exports from Ukraine and Russia. Soumaya Keynes says goodbye.
159. How Biden and Europe settled Trump’s steel and aluminum tariffs
After years of dispute, the EU agreed to stop retaliating and to limit exports if the US lifted Trump’s national security tariffs.
158. How America responded to its PPE shortage
The US reacted to COVID-19 shortfalls of hospital masks, gowns and gloves with unprecedented trade and industrial policy.
157. Europe’s Trade Policy and Open Strategic Autonomy
Worried about being bullied by trading partners, the European Union is developing a host of new policy tools.
156. Tackling climate change with a carbon border adjustment mechanism
CBAM! The EU proposes phasing out free permits from its emissions trading system and phasing in a carbon tax on some imports.
155. How trade can break up with paper (it involves blockchain)
Legally and technologically, paper documents are essential to international trade. How that could change (it involves blockchain).
154. Global Britain: How’s that going then?
A beginner's guide to the spat over Brexit’s Northern Ireland Protocol, plus the UK signs a new trade deal with Australia.
153. Multilateral tax cooperation gets one step closer
The G7 economies agreed to a potential historic change in how governments tax multinational corporations.
152. The murky world of export restrictions for COVID-19 vaccines
COVID-19 vaccines and vaccine inputs are in short supply globally. How the EU, UK, US and India are all limiting exports.
151. Container shipping costs are through the roof. Who’s paying?
Companies and regulators have begun to worry about the spike in container shipping costs and pandemic-related trade disruptions.
150: Is the WTO making it harder to end the pandemic?
India, South Africa, and more than 50 other countries propose changing WTO rules for vaccines and other medical supplies. Rachel Silverman (Center for Global Development) and Tom Bollyky (Council on Foreign Relations) help explain compulsory...
149. Everyone Loves (or Hates) Buy America
President Biden’s first trade action was to tighten rules on what imports the US government can buy.
148. The EU’s new trade policy, with Sabine Weyand of DG Trade
Sabine Weyand joins to discuss EU trade policy, transatlantic cooperation and conflict, China, forced labor, WTO, climate and more.
147. What’s in the new EU-UK trade deal? Brexperts explain
The EU and UK announce their long-awaited trade agreement formalizing Brexit. What is covered, and what is still to be negotiated.
146. Semiconductors and US export bans – from Huawei to SMIC
How and why the United States is banning exports of semiconductors, software and tools to some of the world’s largest companies.
145. Xinjiang’s forced labor, supply chains, and trade sanctions
Concerns escalate that forced labor and other crimes against humanity are taking place in Xinjiang, China.
144. Trade policy transitions, with Ambassador Susan Schwab
From tariff leverage to trade deals, a former USTR explains how the baton is handed from one American administration to the next.