The Rhodes Center Podcast with Mark Blyth

Join John Cassidy, a Staff Writer at The New Yorker and author of "Capitalism and Its Critics," as he unpacks the historical tapestry of capitalism's critiques. From the East India Company to modern globalization, he reveals how figures like Marx and Hobson influenced economic thought. Cassidy explores Veblen's take on conspicuous consumption and dives into the insights of Piketty on inequality. Discover how Polanyi's theories on markets resonate with today’s political challenges, showcasing capitalism’s ongoing evolution and the critical perspectives that illuminate its path.

Thea Riofrancos, a political scientist and environmentalist, discusses her book on lithium extraction and its geopolitical implications. She reveals how lithium, essential for modern tech and the green transition, shapes global power dynamics. Thea highlights Latin America's resource nationalism, the community impacts of mining, and the contrasting strategies of the US and China in securing lithium supply. She critiques assumptions about rising demand, advocating for policy shifts to reduce reliance on mining. This compelling exploration merges environmentalism with politics.

Leah Downey, a political economist from King’s College London and author of "Our Money: Monetary Policy as if Democracy Matters," returns to explore the implications of recent Federal Reserve developments. She discusses how Trump targeted Fed leadership and what that means for presidential power. Leah weighs in on the debates surrounding quantitative easing and inequality. The conversation also delves into whether legislative reform is plausible, emphasizing the need for public discourse on monetary policy.

This is the first in a two-part series featuring Leah Downey, political theorist at King’s College London and author of the new book “Our Money: Monetary Policy as if Democracy Matters.” On this part (recorded in May) Mark Blyth and Leah discuss her book, and take a look at the historical evolution of the relationship between independent central banks and democratic politics. In the second part (which will come out next week) Mark and Leah explore how this relationship has changed in the US in the second Trump term, and what it might mean for US monetary policy and US politics going forward. Learn more about and purchase “Our Money: Monetary Policy as if Democracy Matters.”Transcript coming soon to our website.

Karin Wulf, a historian and director of the John Carter Brown Library, and Kevin McLaughlin, a literary scholar and director of the John Nicholas Brown Center, lead the 'Brown 2026' initiative celebrating the U.S. 250th anniversary. They discuss the essential role of universities in democracy and public good, stressing public support for education. The conversation dives into challenges like funding and privatization, while reflecting on historical movements that expanded access to higher education. Their insights emphasize how universities can drive societal innovation.

On this episode, Mark talks with two guests to try and understand why, despite growing right populist movements emerging and winning elections in countries around the world, the left seems to be stalling. It’s a simple question with an incredibly complex answer. Hopefully, though, these two guests will help you to see both the question and its possible answers in a new light. Guests on this episode:Björn Bremer: political scientist at Central European University, John F. Kennedy Memorial Fellow at the Minda de Gunzburg Center for European Studies (CES) at Harvard University, and author of “Austerity from the Left: Social Democratic Parties in the Shadow of the Great Recession”Paul Pierson: professor of political science at UC Berkeley and author of, most recently, “The American Political Economy Politics, Markets, and Power”  Learn more about the Watson Institute's other podcasts

On this episode, Mark Blyth talks with Małgorzata Mazurek, a historian, associate professor of Polish Studies at Columbia University, and author of the forthcoming book “The Economics of Hereness: The Polish Origins of Global Developmentalism 1918-1968.”Mazurek explores how, between World Wars I and II, a group of thinkers led by economists Michał Kalecki and Ludwik Landau began to re-envision Poland’s economy – and future. Their work, and Mazurek tells it, threatened many of the assumptions held by those in power about economic development in the mid-20th century, and would go on to influence thinkers around the world in the decades to come. In telling the story of these thinkers, Mazurek also recounts a fascinating moment in Poland’s history, when a unique confluence of attitudes towards trade, immigration, and ethnic diversity created a laboratory for new economic ideas. Listen to other podcasts from the Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs at Brown University

Charlotte Cavaille, an assistant professor at the University of Michigan, and Branko Milanovic, a senior scholar on socio-economic inequality, delve into why inequality isn’t a front-burner political issue despite its profound impacts. They discuss the 'Elephant Curve,' which illustrates global income disparities. The conversation highlights the disconnect between various political factions, ideological divides over fairness, and the challenges of coalition-building in addressing economic redistribution. Their insights aim to reshape our understanding of inequality in the modern context.

To state the obvious, there are many hurdles to addressing the climate crisis in a meaningful way. However, there’s been one relatively bright spot on this front in the last decade: the price of renewable energy — particularly solar and wind power — has dropped dramatically. By many measures, they’re now cheaper to produce than fossil fuels. So does that mean when it comes to a “green transition” can we just sit back and let the market take care of it? According to Brett Christophers, a professor at the Institute for Housing and Urban Research at Uppsala University and author of the new book “The Price is Wrong: Why Capitalism Won't Save the Planet”: absolutely not.On this episode, Mark and Brett discuss the many reasons why cheap renewable energy production won’t lead to renewables dominating the energy market. In doing so, they also put the entire energy economy under a microscope and challenge the notion that the private sector will ever be able to lead us through a green transition.Learn more about and purchase “The Price is Wrong: Why Capitalism Won't Save the Planet”Watch Brett’s October 2024 talk at the Rhodes CenterLearn more about the Watson Institute’s other podcasts 

This is a new experiment we’re trying at the Rhodes Center Podcast. From time to time, going forward, instead of focusing on one expert and their latest research, Mark will take a deeper dive into one issue (or one question) that’s been bothering him. Future episodes will examine the politics of immigration and the persistence of inequality. But the first episode in this new series will explore a topic especially near and dear to Mark: inflation. Specifically, the stories we tell about what causes inflation, how those stories affect our efforts to curb it, and who wins and loses depending on which stories our leaders believe. In the first half of this episode, Mark talks with economist Nicolò Fraccaroli about a book he and Mark wrote called “Inflation: A Guide for Users and Losers” (coming out in Spring 2025). In the second half, Mark talks with economist Claudia Sahm about the history of inflation, the role central banks play in it, and what’s lost when we try to take politics and politicians out of the inflation debate. (One thing to note: both of these conversations were recorded before the election, but the ideas explored in these conversations are just as relevant now as ever.)Guests on this episode:Nicolò Fraccaroli is an economist at the World BankClaudia Sahm is Chief Economist for New Century Advisors and former Section Chief at the Federal Reserve’s Board of GovernorsLearn more about the Watson Institute’s other podcasts