Amir Sufi

Luigi Zingales, a Chicago Booth professor and expert on corporate governance, joins Amir Sufi, who studies financial crises and inequality. They explore the enduring factors behind Trump's appeal, highlighting the parallels between past and present electoral dynamics. Discussing economic anxieties, they reveal how inflation and globalization fears shaped voter sentiment. The rise of the far-right globally is also scrutinized, illustrating how systemic inequality and political disenchantment have fueled support for extreme movements, echoing earlier trends.

Policymakers have a tried-and-true game plan for jump-starting the economy in times of severe recession: Push stimulus packages and lower interest rates so Americans will borrow and spend. But economist Amir Sufi says the way we traditionally address a recession is deeply flawed. He argues that by encouraging "sugar-rush" solutions, the nation is putting poor and middle-class Americans and the entire economy at even greater risk. This week we look at the role of debt as a hidden driver of recessions, and how we might create a more stable system.