Economist Podcasts

Economist Podcasts

Every weekday our global network of correspondents makes sense of the stories beneath the headlines. We bring you surprising trends and tales from around the world, current affairs, business and finance — as well as science and technology. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episodes

June 24, 2026 3 mins

When Alexis de Tocqueville visited America from France in 1831 he saw a new kind of society. Not just a country, but an idea that would change the world. His book “Democracy in America” was a big influence on later generations of writers and thinkers, including The Economist’s US Editor John Prideaux. Now, 250 years after its birth, the vitality of that democracy is under question. In this series, John retraces th...

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Our correspondent joins an embed in Lebanon, where Israel claims that Hizbullah’s continued strength justifies its campaign. If Israel’s goals diverge from America’s, how does this affect peace talks over the Iran conflict? The impact of the oncoming “Godzilla" El Niño. And why Japan’s popular princess will never take the throne.


Guests and host:

  • Anshel Pfeffer, Israel correspondent
  • Catherine Brah...
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June 23, 2026 3 mins

When Alexis de Tocqueville visited America from France in 1831 he saw a new kind of society. Not just a country, but an idea that would change the world. His book “Democracy in America” was a big influence on later generations of writers and thinkers, including The Economist’s US Editor John Prideaux. Now, 250 years after its birth, the vitality of that democracy is under question. In this series, John retraces th...

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On June 23rd 2016, Britain voted to leave the European Union, triggering years of argument, lost economic opportunities and political malaise. Our correspondents look back on the seismic moment and its aftershocks. And, as Britain prepares to get its seventh prime minister in a decade, we ask how the government can look forward to new opportunities.


Guests and host:

  • Daniel Franklin, senior editor
  • John Peet, associate editor
  • Tom...
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June 22, 2026 3 mins

When Alexis de Tocqueville visited America from France in 1831 he saw a new kind of society. Not just a country, but an idea that would change the world. His book “Democracy in America” was a big influence on later generations of writers and thinkers, including The Economist’s US Editor John Prideaux. Now, 250 years after its birth, the vitality of that democracy is under question. In this series, John retraces th...

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June 22, 2026 20 mins

After winning a resounding victory for Britain’s Labour party two years ago, Sir Keir Starmer has announced his departure. As the country gets ready for its 7th prime minister in ten years, our correspondent asks if it has become ungovernable. A Trump-loving right winger wins Colombia’s presidency. And “Toy Story 5” sets the toys against technology. 


Guests and host:

  • Hugo Gye, Britain political ed...
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June 21, 2026 3 mins

When Alexis de Tocqueville visited America from France in 1831 he saw a new kind of society. Not just a country, but an idea that would change the world. His book “Democracy in America” was a big influence on later generations of writers and thinkers, including The Economist’s US Editor John Prideaux. Now, 250 years after its birth, the vitality of that democracy is under question. In this series, John retraces th...

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June 19, 2026 3 mins

When Alexis de Tocqueville visited America from France in 1831 he saw a new kind of society. Not just a country, but an idea that would change the world. His book “Democracy in America” was a big influence on later generations of writers and thinkers, including The Economist’s US Editor John Prideaux. Now, 250 years after its birth, the vitality of that democracy is under question. In this series, John retraces th...

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Andy Burnham won a by-election he needed in order to challenge Sir Keir Starmer, Britain’s prime minister. We look at the path ahead for him. The Iran deal seemingly promises a financial windfall for the country and its regime—one that its battered economy sorely needs. And the mythmaking of presidential libraries, as seen in the latest one: Barack Obama’s.


Watch extended clips from Insider here.


Guests and ...

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June 18, 2026 25 mins

As expected, the new Federal Reserve chairman kept rates steady. More interesting were what he did and did not say. How will he handle inevitable pressure from President Donald Trump? After nearly disappearing altogether, Germany’s left-wing Die Linke party is roaring back—particularly among the young. And a selection of our readers’ examples of upward-management tips and tricks.


Guests and host:

  • Archie Hall...
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June 17, 2026 3 mins

When Alexis de Tocqueville visited America from France in 1831 he saw a new kind of society. Not just a country, but an idea that would change the world. His book “Democracy in America” was a big influence on later generations of writers and thinkers, including The Economist’s US Editor John Prideaux. Now, 250 years after its birth, the vitality of that democracy is under question. In this series, John retraces th...

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Geopolitics has dominated this year’s G7 political meeting in Evian, France. Donald Trump offered scant detail on the Iran peace deal but leaders promised to boost support for Ukraine. Though prostitution in Japan has a long history, recent scandals have drawn it into the spotlight. And Britain’s Country Life magazine has a winning formula: ignore the news. 


Guests and host:

  • Sophie Pedder, Paris bureau chief
  • M...
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June 16, 2026 3 mins

When Alexis de Tocqueville visited America from France in 1831 he saw a new kind of society. Not just a country, but an idea that would change the world. His book “Democracy in America” was a big influence on later generations of writers and thinkers, including The Economist’s US Editor John Prideaux. Now, 250 years after its birth, the vitality of that democracy is under question. In this series, John retraces th...

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The World Cup may seem to be proof that the digital commons centralises a global audience. We find that entertainment is in fact fragmenting, with big implications for soft power. Our series examining America’s 250 years of history tackles the AIDS crisis and the war on terror. And mosquitoes may in fact be attracted to a gold-standard repellent. 


Guests and host:

  • Tom Wainwright, media editor
  • Annie Crabill, senior d...
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Despite exchanges of missiles and drones between Israel and Lebanon, the start of a deal was struck overnight. What exactly has been agreed, and will it hold? We examine the idea that part-nationalisation could be a way to share the coming onslaught of AI wealth. And our series on World Cup contenders concludes with a look at England’s side.


Guests and host:

  • Gregg Carlstrom, Middle East correspondent
  • Alex Domash, economi...
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Tocqueville saw America’s faith in its own democracy as a vital force. But these days the majority of Americans think the country is headed in the wrong direction. Can a group of maximum security prisoners in Sing Sing offer a vision of how to get back on track?


Guests and Hosts

  • John Prideaux, The Economist’s US Editor
  • Sean Pica, executive director of Hudson Link for Higher Education in Prison 
  • Jean Frantz, pri...
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John Prideaux, The Economist’s US Editor, embarks on a roadtrip to see how America’s democracy is faring in the era of Trump. 


His companion is a long-dead French aristocrat called Alexis De Tocqueville, author of arguably the best book ever written about America. 


When Tocqueville arrived in New York in 1831, it was a small, low-slung city where pigs roamed the streets. But he was able to see past that&...

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An interview with Lee Jae Myung, South Korea’s president, a year into his role. Though he has stabilised a turbulent polity and overseen a stock market rally, the path ahead may be bumpy. Can India’s cockroach party become a powerful political movement? And celebrating the creator of “Persepolis”, Marjane Satrapi

Watch extended clips from Insider here


Guests and host:

  • Noah Sneider, East Asia bure...
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June 11, 2026 44 mins

Tocqueville saw America’s faith in its own democracy as a vital force. But these days the majority of Americans think the country is headed in the wrong direction. Can a group of maximum security prisoners in Sing Sing offer a vision of how to get back on track?


Guests and Hosts

  • John Prideaux, The Economist’s US Editor
  • Sean Pica, executive director of Hudson Link for Higher Education in Prison 
  • Jean Frantz, pri...
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June 11, 2026 48 mins

John Prideaux, The Economist’s US Editor, embarks on a roadtrip to see how America’s democracy is faring in the era of Trump. 


His companion is a long-dead French aristocrat called Alexis De Tocqueville, author of arguably the best book ever written about America. 


When Tocqueville arrived in New York in 1831, it was a small, low-slung city where pigs roamed the streets. But he was able to see past that&...

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Watch
Mark as Played

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