

The David McWilliams Podcast
David McWilliams & John Davis
The aim of this weekly podcast is to make economics easy, uncomplicated and accessible. With the world at a political, technological and financial tipping point, economics has never been so important to all of us and yet, it’s made inaccessible and complicated by so many.I’ve always thought what is complicated is rarely important and what is important is rarely complicated.That will be our motto.Every week we are going to tease out some big economic or political issue facing us, not just here in Ireland but in Europe and further afield. Globalisation has brought us all together. We all face similar challenges whether you live in Dublin, London, Minnesota or Milan.If you would like to enjoy all of our content ad-free and have early access to episodes, subscribe to DMCW+ on Apple Podcast.If you would like to support the show, please consider becoming a patron at www.patreon.com/DavidMcWilliams. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Feb 1, 2022 • 37min
209 - If global warming is the question, free public transport is the answer
With the return to office happening all around the world, we’re seeing old problems come back; namely, traffic and congestion in cities. This is something we can, and should, solve - join us as we look at how we make it work for everyone. Plus on the 100th anniversary of the publication of Ulysses, what would Leopold Bloom have to say about traffic, land tax and urban economics. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jan 27, 2022 • 36min
208 - Breaking down the metaverse & why we we need to disconnect
There’s massive amounts of money being thrown around by people who are trying to invest in the metaverse… so what exactly is it? And perhaps more importantly: is it a necessary or even a desirable future that these companies are setting up for us. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jan 25, 2022 • 50min
207 - What's happening in finance, why all the crashing? Plus, the key to unlocking the Irish economy
We breakdown what is happening with the falling stocks in the tech sector by talking about bonds, inflation and returns on investment before looking at the state of the Irish economy as we emerge from lockdown. Spoiler alert: Housing is involved! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jan 20, 2022 • 42min
206 - Is it Last call for Boris Johnson?
Today is about the UK: as Boris Johnson fights for his political life we breakdown the timeline of events that brought us here, when & how this all might end and finally: what is legacy might be. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jan 18, 2022 • 32min
205 - Can the centre hold?
WB Yeats in his poem "The Second Coming", described a world, 100 odd years ago, where the forces of economics and politics meant that "things fall apart" and "the centre cannot hold". In many ways he was right. In 1922, the centre didn't hold, not in Ireland, not anywhere. Things did fall apart. Today we look at the complexion of Irish society as it is, not as sloganeers might want it to be and ask the same question. Are we on the path of seismic change or something more gradual? The figures might surprise you! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jan 13, 2022 • 44min
204 - The Origin of Covid. Where precisely did it come from?
Where exactly did Covid come from? Today’s episode tackles the origin of Covid, where did it come from, the food chain or a lab leak? A lab leak opens the door to all sorts of questions, geo-political, scientific and ethical. In fact, its one of the most important questions surrounding the pandemic and yet, it is the question few have asked? Conventional wisdom says it jumped from bats to animals in a Wuhan market, what it this is not true? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jan 11, 2022 • 33min
203 - Is this the year crypto crashes?
I've no idea whether crypto and Bitcoin in particular will crash, double or stay where it is. No one does. In economic terms, cryptocurrency is definitely SOMETHING, but at this stage, it is patently not money. Join us as we explain how Bitcoin is clearly an asset, but its is definitely not money. Why a good way to look at money is to imagine it is like language and why money is a technology not a commodity. Could 2022 be the year to be cautious around the speculative asset that is crypto or time to double down despite recent declines? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jan 6, 2022 • 40min
202 - The Washington Putsch - One Year on
Let's talk America one year to the day after storming of Capitol Hill. Some warn the US is moving towards civil war, certainly the place is divided, what of the early Biden optimism and just when you though it was safe to dream again, he's back, more orange than ever. All this a discussion on productivity, wages and growth in Ireland. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jan 4, 2022 • 46min
201 - The World at a Tipping Point
The New Year and a new credit cycle. In 2021 the world was awash with money, but will this continue in 2022? If not what will it mean for the economy, for you, and for confidence? All credit cycles follow similar paths, we trace these cycles. Also what about European and Irish tech in the next 12 months and how John is becoming a drummer. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dec 28, 2021 • 43min
200 - The economics of Nighttime. Why we need more not less, socializing!
Happy Christmas! Hope you had a good one! Weird that this week we are talking about more boozing, more socializing, more venues, more events, more late nights, more entertainment just when things are closing down, but the best gift we can give the social economy, is open up everything, no more Victorian licences, and embrace the night time economy. For a city to live, it has to be 24 hours, for those who want to go out, where they like, when they like. All this plus, a framework for making better predictions in 2022 with the help of strategist Viv Chambers. Hope you enjoy and wishing you a Happy New Year! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.


