Technocrats of War: Adam Tooze Exposes the Economics Behind Gaza’s Reconstruction

Economist and historian Adam Tooze joins Clara Mattei for an unflinching look at the political economy of Gaza and the global system that profits from destruction.Tooze—author of Crashed, Shutdown, and The Wages of Destruction—examines how capitalism turns devastation into opportunity, how “technocratic” reconstruction plans erase political responsibility, and how Gaza’s annihilation reveals a new model of global economic domination linking high-tech Israel, wealthy Gulf states, and Western capital.Together, they trace the long history of Gaza’s economic siege, the weaponization of aid and austerity, and the illusion of “peace through prosperity.”📚 Topics include:-- The shift from two-state stabilization to capitalist erasure-- Reconstruction as a profit engine-- The role of technocrats and “smart infrastructure” in depoliticizing war-- Gaza 2035 and the Abraham Accords-- Parallels to Ukraine, India–Israel logistics, and the global militarization of development#AdamTooze #FREEpodcast #ClaraMattei #Gaza #Capitalism #ReconstructionEconomy #EconomicHistory #Geopolitics #IsraelPalestine #WarEconomy #ForumForRealEconomicEmancipation #BetterWorlds #PoliticalEconomy #Austerity #Technocracy #AbrahamAccords #Neoliberalism #GlobalSouth #Chartbook #Gaza2035Read Adam Tooze's Chartbook: https://adamtooze.substack.com/Listen to the Ones & Tooze podcast,  @Foreign-Policy  https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ones-and-tooze/id158439704700:00:00 - Introduction00:00:10 - The Gaza Peace Plan00:00:54 - Technocratic Government and AI00:01:24 - Plunder Disguised as Expertise00:01:40 - Interview with Professor Adam Tooze00:02:48 - Why Focus on Palestine?00:03:06 - Exploring Militarism, Economy and Austerity00:03:28 - The Singularity of Gaza Situation00:05:26 - The Deliberate Destruction of Gaza00:06:08 - Comparing Global Crises00:07:30 - Responsibility for Mass Starvation00:08:11 - Gaza's History and Current Situation00:08:29 - The Modern History of Gaza00:10:47 - Gaza's Economic Crisis and Intifadas00:11:59 - Gaza's Siege Economy00:12:34 - The Divergence of Gaza00:12:38 - The Tunnel Economy00:13:21 - Gaza as a Battlefield00:14:48 - The Destruction of Gaza's Economy00:15:08 - Contrast with the Trump Plan00:16:01 - Netanyahu's Gaza 2035 Plan00:17:38 - The Profitability of Destruction and Reconstruction00:18:14 - Political Economy of Capitalism and War00:21:41 - Technocratic Government00:25:36 - The Complex Assemblage of Israeli Interests00:28:22 - Economic and Political Violence00:31:34 - The Ukrainian War Economy00:33:04 - The Prosecution of a Neoliberal Restructuring Experiment00:36:12 - The Continuation of Political Economy in War00:37:21 - The Faces of Austerity Crusades00:39:54 - Historical Parallels of Austerity Policies00:40:06 - Late-Stage Imperialism and Settler Colonial Projects00:45:44 - Understanding Nazi Germany's Economic History00:46:40 - The Escalation of Military Expenditure in Europe00:47:52 - The Shift from Green Modernization to Militarism00:49:48 - Revealing the Tendencies of Austerity00:51:10 - Closing Remarks and Future Engagements