The Econoclasts
UnHerd
The Econoclasts is a new podcast from UnHerd hosted by economist Yanis Varoufakis and journalist Wolfgang Munchau. While they don't always agree politically, they are united in one conviction: the consensus is rotten. Mainstream economics has consistently failed to predict the events that shape our world, yet this broken orthodoxy still dominates policy and media. Each week, they choose two pillars of the established orthodoxy — the "settled facts" — and shatter them, cutting through the spin to connect the dots between money, geopolitics, and the real forces shaping our future.Don't forget to rate, like and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Oct 6, 2026 • 48min
France’s fiscal crisis & Europe's dangerous war fever
Yanis Varoufakis and Wolfgang Munchau examine France’s mounting debt crisis, proposals for restructuring, and the eurozone’s fiscal constraints. They explore how austerity and unfunded political promises could deepen economic instability and fuel extremism. The discussion then turns to Europe’s escalating war rhetoric, hybrid-threat claims, military unpreparedness, strained ties with Russia, and the urgent need for diplomacy.
11 snips
Sep 29, 2026 • 39min
Europe's pre-war madness & the reindustrialisation myth
Europe’s march toward confrontation with Russia, the limits of diplomacy, and the risks of nuclear escalation take center stage. The discussion also challenges military Keynesianism and the promise of reindustrialisation, exploring automation, China’s civilian industrial strategy, Europe’s innovation gap, and whether skilled infrastructure work can replace the factory jobs of the past.
33 snips
Sep 22, 2026 • 43min
Germany’s political meltdown & how the Left betrayed Europe
Germany’s centrist parties face electoral collapse, austerity and economic stagnation as the country’s export model unravels. The discussion traces Europe’s deindustrialisation to financialisation, the euro’s flawed design and centre-left choices. It also explores Europe’s dependence on the US for defence, NATO’s changing role, and the Greens’ turn toward militarised politics.
25 snips
Sep 15, 2026 • 45min
The AI extinction myth & Europe’s tech collapse
Apocalyptic AI warnings come under scrutiny as tools for publicity, regulation, and market control. The discussion turns to weaponized AI, surveillance, and the dangers created by human institutions. China’s advances in open-source models, renewable energy, and robotics challenge American dominance, while Europe’s technological retreat exposes the power of cloud capital and deepening global dependency.
12 snips
Sep 8, 2026 • 45min
Germany's AfD surge & the death of the European project
Germany’s AfD breakthrough sparks a sweeping examination of democratic decay, economic stagnation, and the conditions that enable far-right revival. The discussion revisits Hitler’s rise, explores capitalism’s role in political extremism, and challenges the EU’s foundations. It also considers whether Europe can survive without deeper fiscal, political, and monetary integration.
19 snips
Sep 1, 2026 • 42min
Iceland's EU rejection & the North Atlantic debt trap
Iceland’s narrow rejection of EU talks sparks a debate over Europe’s fading appeal, youth skepticism, fisheries, and the legacy of the banking crisis. Yanis Varoufakis and Wolfgang Munchau clash over America’s debt, interest rates, inflation, and whether Europe’s capital markets union can drive productive investment or deepen a rent-driven economy. AI, austerity, and the future of capitalism also enter the fray.
11 snips
Aug 25, 2026 • 31min
America’s debt spiral & China’s big AI bet
A deep dive into why rising US interest rates could trigger a self-reinforcing sovereign debt spiral. A look at China’s alternative strategy of state-directed, open-source AI and automation as a route out of surplus-driven stagnation. Discussion of who bears the cost when nations default and whether the dollar’s privileged position is at risk.
11 snips
Aug 18, 2026 • 38min
The decline of the US empire - with Richard D. Wolff
Richard D. Wolff, a Marxian economist and retired professor known for critiquing capitalism, joins to dissect the decline of US imperial power. He explores rising interest in socialism, the risk of a Thatcher‑style backlash in America, contrasts social democracy with revolutionary socialism, and highlights capitalism’s systemic flaws driving political alienation.
11 snips
Aug 11, 2026 • 45min
The wealth tax myth & Britain’s dangerous Rejoin trap
Debates whether wealth taxes are a magic fix and why they may fall short. Discusses alternative levies like cloud and data taxes and ideas to curb tech power. Explores how central bank policy and globalisation erode national sovereignty. Examines the fiscal, regulatory and monetary traps awaiting Britain if it tried to rejoin the EU.
8 snips
Aug 4, 2026 • 30min
The greatest fraud in human history – with Ron Paul
Ron Paul, libertarian politician and former three-term congressman known for criticizing the Federal Reserve. He and Yanis Varoufakis challenge central banking and 1971’s end of gold convertibility. They discuss money printing as a covert tax, post-2008 bailouts creating corporate welfare, and links between big tech algorithms, state power, and dwindling individual liberty.
