The Economic and Political History Podcast

In this engaging discussion, Ola Olsson, a Professor at the University of Gothenburg, dives into the intriguing blend of economics and prehistory. He explores the evolution of human economies from hunter-gatherer societies to agriculture, underlining how climate and technology shaped development. The conversation touches on the complexities of using modern data to infer insights about prehistoric life and the ethical dimensions of this research. Olsson also emphasizes the relevance of understanding economic history in tackling today's wealth disparities and environmental challenges.

Interview with Rory Naismith, author of 'Making Money in the Early Middle Ages'Between the end of the Roman Empire in the fifth century and the economic transformations of the twelfth, coined money in western Europe was scarce and high in value, difficult for the majority of the population to make use of. And yet, as Rory Naismith shows in this illuminating study, coined money was made and used throughout early medieval Europe. It was, he argues, a powerful tool for articulating people’s place in economic and social structures and an important gauge for levels of economic complexity. Working from the premise that using coined money carried special significance when there was less of it around, Naismith uses detailed case studies from the Mediterranean and northern Europe to propose a new reading of early medieval money as a point of contact between economic, social, and institutional history.-------Javier Mejia is a Stanford University lecturer who specializes in the intersection of social networks and economic history. His research interests also include entrepreneurship and political economy, with a particular focus on Latin America and the Middle East. He holds a Ph.D. in Economics from Los Andes University. Mejia has previously been a Postdoctoral Associate and Lecturer at New York University-Abu Dhabi and a Visiting Scholar at the University of Bordeaux. He is also a frequent contributor to various news outlets, currently serving as an op-ed columnist for Forbes Magazine.Twitter (X): https://twitter.com/JavierMejiaCInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/javier_mejia_c/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/javier-mejia-cubillos-64504562/

Interview with Luis Schenoni, author of 'Bringing War Back In. Victory, defeat, and the state in nineteenth-century Latin America'Since Charles Tilly’s claim that “war made the state,” scholars have viewed the bellicist account of state formation through a European lens. In Europe, war drove rulers to tax, conscript, and build bureaucracies, culminating in powerful states. Yet  Latin America's  wars were thought to be too infrequent and externally financed to foster state capacity. Bringing War Back In (Cambridge University Press, 2024) shows nineteenth-century Latin America faced more wars than Europe, which shaped state development, not through mobilization alone but via the long-term effect of war outcomes. Victorious states legitimized wartime institutions, consolidating state capacity, while defeated states suffered lasting decline. Leveraging statistics and archival evidence the book shows how international threats systematically triggered state building and how victors and losers were set into divergent paths that rigidified in a peaceful twentieth century. Because all Latin American states survived their wars, and experienced then a long-lasting peace in the twentieth century, this region allows for a complete understanding of bellicist theory that considers the post-war phase in the long run. Overall, the book offers a new and compelling explanation for the levels of state capacity (and development) that we see today both within Latin America and beyond.-------Javier Mejia is a Stanford University lecturer who specializes in the intersection of social networks and economic history. His research interests also include entrepreneurship and political economy, with a particular focus on Latin America and the Middle East. He holds a Ph.D. in Economics from Los Andes University. Mejia has previously been a Postdoctoral Associate and Lecturer at New York University-Abu Dhabi and a Visiting Scholar at the University of Bordeaux. He is also a frequent contributor to various news outlets, currently serving as an op-ed columnist for Forbes Magazine.Twitter (X): ⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/JavierMejiaC⁠⁠⁠Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/javier_mejia_c/⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/javier-mejia-cubillos/⁠⁠⁠Youtube: ⁠⁠⁠https://youtube.com/@javiermejia5309?si=LEy5CuqD83qVB8jd

Volha Charnysh, an MIT Associate Professor and author of 'Uprooted', delves into the intriguing consequences of post-WWII population transfers. Exploring how integrating displaced populations can bolster state building and local economies, she discusses the dual effects of increased cultural diversity and initial social disruption. The talk highlights how diverse migrant inflows can spur gains in entrepreneurship and education over time. Additionally, Charnysh contrasts the historical and modern handling of forced migration and its implications for citizenship and societal integration.

In this engaging discussion, Josephine Quinn, an esteemed ancient historian, challenges the traditional narratives of Western culture by linking it to a diverse tapestry of ancient civilizations spanning 4,000 years. She argues that the roots of the modern West are intertwined with contributions from Babylon, Phoenician innovations, and Arabic scholarship. They dive into the significance of Minoan civilization, the transformation of Mediterranean sailing, and the complexities of Phoenician identity. Quinn advocates for a history that celebrates connection rather than separation.

Agustina Paglayan, an Assistant Professor at UC San Diego and author of 'Raised to Obey', discusses the unsettling origins of mass education. She reveals that the push for universal primary education was less about literacy and more about controlling the 'savage' lower classes. Alongside Javier Mejia, an economist from Stanford, they explore the historical roots of compulsory education in Prussia and the dual nature of educational policies intended to instill obedience. The conversation critiques modern education systems for fostering conformity over creativity.

Interview with Eva Payne, author of 'Empire of Purity: The History of Americans' Global War on Prostitution' Between the 1870s and 1930s, American social reformers, working closely with the US government, transformed sexual vice into an international political and humanitarian concern. As these activists worked to eradicate prostitution and trafficking, they promoted sexual self-control for both men and women as a cornerstone of civilization and a basis of American exceptionalism. Empire of Purity traces the history of these efforts, showing how the policing and penalization of sexuality was used to justify American interventions around the world.Eva Payne describes how American reformers successfully pushed for international anti-trafficking agreements that mirrored US laws, calling for states to criminalize prostitution and restrict migration, and harming the very women they claimed to protect.  ---- Javier Mejia is an economist at Stanford University who specializes in the intersection of social networks and economic history. His research interests also include entrepreneurship and political economy, with a particular focus on Latin America and the Middle East. He holds a Ph.D. in Economics from Los Andes University. Mejia has previously been a Postdoctoral Associate and Lecturer at New York University-Abu Dhabi and a Visiting Scholar at the University of Bordeaux. He is also a frequent contributor to various news outlets, currently serving as an op-ed columnist for Forbes Magazine.

Daniel Waldenström, a leading economist from Sweden, shares insights from his book 'Richer and More Equal'. He reveals a surprising historical narrative that since the late 1800s, the middle class has significantly expanded its wealth share, challenging the idea that capitalism equals inequality. Waldenström argues for tax and social policies that uplift the bottom and middle tiers of society, rather than penalizing entrepreneurs. Together with economist Javier Mejia, they critically evaluate how emotional perceptions of inequality can distort public opinion, especially in sensitive regions like Latin America.

Dale Copeland, a Professor of International Relations at the University of Virginia, shares insights from his book on American foreign policy history. He discusses how trade influences international crises, shifting from peace to conflict when national security is threatened. The conversation delves into realism vs. liberalism, examining power dynamics and historical conflicts. Mejia, an economist, enriches the dialogue by exploring the complexities of U.S.-China relations and the necessity of trade for global stability.

Stefanos Geroulanos, Director of the Remark Institute and a professor at NYU, discusses his book 'The Invention of Prehistory.' He examines how Enlightenment thinkers shifted views on human origins, impacting notions of race and imperialism. The conversation delves into the allure of prehistory, the evolution of cultural hierarchies, and how Darwinism influenced political ideologies. Geroulanos also critiques historical narratives regarding Neanderthals, revealing how ideologies shape our understanding of identity in contemporary contexts.