The HC Commodities Podcast Salt, Cod and Commodities at the Center of History with Mark Kurlansky
Oct 14, 2025
Mark Kurlansky, an acclaimed author renowned for his works like 'Salt' and 'Cod', joins the conversation to explore the profound impact of commodities on history. He reveals how salt enabled trade and shaped economies, while discussing the dramatic Cod Wars and the precarious state of fisheries today. Kurlansky critiques current trade policies and envisions a shift towards renewable energy commodities, touching on the complexities of global cooperation versus competition. His insights illuminate the shifting sands of economics and history through the lens of everyday goods.
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Commodities Define Global Relations
- Trade in commodities shapes international relations, peace, and war across history.
- Salt enabled long-distance food trade and thus larger economies before refrigeration.
Trade: Cooperation Or Competition
- Trade can drive either cooperation or conflict depending on how resources are governed.
- Free trade aims to create mutual benefit instead of rivalry over commodities.
Plan For Tariff Fallout
- Expect tariffs to create consumer costs and supply uncertainty, not just producer pain.
- Plan for who ultimately pays and how governments might subsidize exporters.
