Seeing political economy in your surroundings

Economics isn’t just about spreadsheets. It’s about people, power, and place.

In this video, filmed in Ely, where I live, I explore what my friend Danny Blanchflower calls 'the economics of walking about', which is the idea that you learn more about the real economy by walking through it than by staring at data. From Ely Cathedral to Oliver Cromwell’s house, this is a story about how power shapes everything — from feudal rents to modern mortgages.