Nancy MacLean, a historian focused on democracy and economic inequality, joins Edward Balleisen, an expert in regulation history, economist Brad DeLong, corporate responsibility advocate Marjorie Kelly, and policy analyst Oren Cass. They unravel how neoliberalism has shaped the perception of a rigged economy, dissecting its origins and Reagan's lasting legacy. The discussion explores labor disparities, financialization's role in wealth inequality, and the impact of globalization on American jobs, uncovering the complex threads of economic dissatisfaction in contemporary society.

Experts in American history, economics, and the impact of capitalism discuss the rise of a new capitalist order in the United States. They explore how the country overtook its parent in wealth, the economic motivations of the American Revolution, the ruthless capitalists of the Gilded Age, the accelerated rate of technological progress, and the impact of the Industrial Revolution on society.

Author and historian Eric Rauchway and economist Brad DeLong delve into the nuanced history of capitalism post-World War II, discussing the shift in power balance, the '30 glorious years' of prosperity, and the influence of various individuals on shaping the economic system. They explore topics such as stock speculation in the 1920s, the impacts of the Great Depression, and the fall of the Iron Curtain on economies and ideologies. The podcast highlights the complexities of capitalism, labor income distribution, and the importance of societal considerations in economic systems.

People throughout history have imagined ideal societies of various sorts. As the twentieth century dawned, advances in manufacturing and communication arguably brought the idea of utopia within our practical reach, at least as far as economic necessities are concerned. But we failed to achieve it, to say the least. Brad DeLong’s new book, Slouching Towards Utopia: An Economic History of the Twentieth Century, investigates why. He compares the competing political and economic systems that dominated the “long 20th century” from 1870 to 2010, and how we managed to create such enormous wealth and still be left with such intractable problems.Support Mindscape on Patreon.J. Bradford DeLong received his Ph.D. in economics from Harvard University. He is currently a professor of economics at the University of California, Berkeley. and chief economist at the Blum Center for Developing Economies. He previously served as deputy assistant secretary of the U.S. Treasury for Economic Policy from 1993 to 1995. He has been a long-running blogger, now moved to Substack. He is a co-editor of The Economists’ Voice.Web siteBerkeley web pageSubstack/blogGoogle Scholar publicationsPodcast (with Noah Smith)WikipediaTwitterSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Brad DeLong, professor of economics at UC Berkley, OG econ blogger, and Tyler’s Harvard classmate, joins the show to discuss Slouching Towards Utopia, an economic history of the 20th century that’s been nearly thirty years in the making. Tyler and Brad discuss what can really be gleaned from the fragmentary economics statistics of the late 19th century, the remarkable changes that occurred from 1870-1920, the astonishing flourishing of German universities in the 19th century, why investment banking allowed America and Germany to pull ahead of Britain economically, what enabled the Royal Society to become a force for progress, what Keynes got wrong, what Hayek got right, whether the middle-income trap persists, his favorite movie and novel, blogging vs. Substack, the Slouching Towards Utopia director’s cut, and much more. Read a full transcript enhanced with helpful links, or watch the full video.  Recorded November 11th, 2022 Other ways to connect Follow us on Twitter and Instagram Follow Tyler on Twitter Follow Brad on Twitter Email us: cowenconvos@mercatus.gmu.edu Learn more about Conversations with Tyler and other Mercatus Center podcasts here. 

We're in the aftermath of an extraordinary bubble in cryptocurrencies and the collapse of FTX is a defining chapter of the industry's turmoil. But what does history tells us about the cycle of bubbles and busts? Which past manias are the most similar to what we've just seen? In this episode, we speak with Brad DeLong, an economic historian at the University of California at Berkeley, who is also the author of the new book, "Slouching Towards Utopia: An Economic History of the Twentieth Century." He explains how the FTX saga shares shocking similarities with the story of the South Sea Company, a British endeavor that was at the center of a massive mania of speculation in the early 1700s.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Brad DeLong, a prominent economist, joins the conversation to discuss the looming threat of a 'China Shock 2' and its potential effects on the U.S. economy. He critiques past governmental responses during the first shock, emphasizing lessons learned for future policy. The discussion dives into the ethical implications of wealth in economic disparities and how affluent individuals often evade accountability. They also explore the evolving role of economists post-Great Recession, and the challenges posed by missile defense strategies in ongoing conflicts like the war in Ukraine.

This week we've got something special!Loyal listeners may recall an episode we recorded a few weeks ago where we discussed Nathan's review of a new bestselling book called Slouching Towards Utopia. If you liked that, you're in luck, because this week we talk to the author himself, Brad DeLong!!This was a super wide-ranging conversation, which should be fascinating to anyone interested in economic history, progress, and technology. Enjoy!

Economist Noah Smith and Prof. Brad DeLong debate U.S. passing leadership to China, trolling on social media, power shifts, Abbe's political leanings, US-China relations, Leninism influence, AOC's acumen, and Hexapodia theme in an engaging and thought-provoking podcast episode.

Economist Noah Smith and Professor Brad DeLong discuss the decline of bad economists, the effectiveness of missile defense, and the impact of Chinese imports. They debate economic policies post-2008, the need for nuance in discussions, and how the internet affects nuanced understanding. Dive into Hexapodia insights and more!