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October 1, 2025 23 mins

"Everyday low prices" come at a cost. This episode goes behind the scenes of the Walmart empire to expose the controversial business practices that have made the Walton family the richest dynasty in America. We investigate the company’s famously anti-union stance, documenting the sophisticated tactics it has used for decades to prevent its workforce from organizing. From manager training on "union avoidance" to the immediate shutdown of stores that successfully vote to unionize, the message is clear: the company's power must remain absolute.

We then explore Walmart’s impact on global supply chains, showing how its immense purchasing power allows it to dictate terms to suppliers, forcing them to cut their own costs by moving production overseas and squeezing their own workers' wages. We also examine the "Walmart Effect" on local economies, where the arrival of a new Supercenter often leads to the closure of small, family-owned businesses, fundamentally altering the fabric of Main Street America. Furthermore, we scrutinize the company's reliance on taxpayer-funded social programs, as many of its low-wage employees are forced to depend on food stamps and public healthcare to make ends meet.

This is the story of the hidden subsidies and human consequences that underpin the Walton family’s multi-billion-dollar fortune. We ask the difficult question: is the convenience of low prices worth the societal cost? This is the exposé of the machine that Sam Walton built.

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