Best Microeconomics Podcasts (2024)

1
You can’t base macroeconomics on microeconomics 7:47

4h ago7:47

7:47

Macroeconomics suggests how governments work. But at present it’s almost all based on microeconomics, which is about how individuals, households and companies work. But that’s absurd when micro entities and governments are completely different as to purpose, goals and the tools available to change outcomes. No wonder we’re in a mess.…

1
Six ways to fill Labour’s fiscal “black hole” 10:02

2h ago10:02

10:02

Labour claims it has a “black hole” of £22 billion to fill in the government’s finances. They should stop making a fuss. Doing so would be easy. There are at least six – and maybe more – ways to do it.By Richard Murphy

1
Raj Chetty's Surprising New Insights On How Children Succeed 51:17

2h ago51:17

51:17

Is race a more consequential determinant of social mobility than class? How and under what circumstances do Americans move up the economic ladder? For years, Harvard economist Raj Chetty has leveraged big data to answer these questions. In his recent paper, Chetty and his team show that Black millennials born to low-income parents have more quickly…

1
Keir Starmer’s ‘vision statement’, delivered this week, was anything but that 6:18

2h ago6:18

6:18

Two months into office as prime minister Keir Starmer is claiming that we should anticipate ‘more pain’ under his leadership. That’s unsurprising. So far, he has provided no clue as to what he will ‘change’, despite that being the theme of his election campaign. Instead, he says he will struggle to deliver what the Tories promised. As early admissi…

1
Do you only have a legal right to your income after tax, meaning the tax you pay was never yours to enjoy? 5:47

1h ago5:47

5:47

People like to claim they have a gross income out of which their tax is paid. But is that gross income ever really theirs when it comes with the legal obligation to pay tax attached to it, meaning that the tax owing always belongs to the government? And what does that do to the idea of taxpayer money?…

1
S4E1: Janet Currie, Health and Children, Princeton 1:35:36

1d ago1:35:36

1:35:36

Welcome the Mixtape with Scott! This is a podcast with a simple objective: listen to the personal stories of living economists who are the primary guests I have on the show. The secondary goal is to follow a thread of people around topics I care about and allow a patchwork story of the profession to form based on, from and through those personal na…

1
Land value taxation is not the panacea that its proponents claim 7:53

2h ago7:53

7:53

Land value taxation is a 19th century idea that has very rarely been used. Its proponents say it is the great unavoidable tax that could potentially replace all other taxes. The problem is it is based on assumptions that might be fine in theory, but which would be incomprehensible in practice – and that’s no way to impose a tax charge.…

1
Do we really live in a world of take it or leave it? 6:09

27m ago6:09

6:09

Politicians like to pretend that we live in a binary world. It’s us or them, they suggest. But the real world is really not like that, so are they doing us a massive disservice by pretending that politics has to work that way?By Richard Murphy

1
What politicians need to know about decision making 5:55

17h ago5:55

5:55

You’d think politicians should be good at decision making, but they aren’t. Of all the options available to them they usually choose prevarication when there are usually five other alternatives they could use. As a result our politicians are paralysing our political processes.By Richard Murphy

1
I do social media to change things 11:51

6h ago11:51

11:51

I’ve been creating social media content since 2006, whether it’s been blogs, tweets or now YouTube and TikTok videos. There’s only ever been one reason for doing so, and that has been to change the world in whatever way I can for those who get a less than fair deal from it.By Richard Murphy

1
Interest paid on government debt increases private wealth 9:14

5h ago9:14

9:14

Many on the political right wing obsess about interest paid on government debt as if it disappears into some black hole. It doesn’t. It’s just interest paid on savings deposited with the government and there’s been nothing excessive about its overall cost of late.By Richard Murphy

1
Why are we still giving limited liability to almost anyone who asks for it? 5:58

1h ago5:58

5:58

We’ve had limited liability companies in their current form for about 170 years now, but no one back then imagined we’d have more than five million of them. So, are we really doing the right thing giving limited liability to anyone who asks for it now, or should we be more circumspect?By Richard Murphy

1
The government can never run out of money 4:58

3h ago4:58

4:58

Politicians, commentators and journalists all like to claim that the UK government could run out of money, but that is total nonsense. The UK government can always create the money it needs to pay its debts. It is the one and only organisation in the UK that can never, as a result, run out of money. #uk #government #money #economic #politics #bank …

1
Rachel Reeves would make a mess of any household’s finances 6:49

8d ago6:49

6:49

Rachel Reeves keeps saying that we should manage the economy as if it were a household. That is completely wrong. But if it was true, the decisions she is making would end up destroying the finances of that household she’s making such a mess of things.By Richard Murphy

1
There’s nothing in a tax haven 8:38

1h ago8:38

8:38

I keep hearing people say that we need to get the money back from tax havens. That, though, is not necessary. There is no money in tax havens. All they do is record the ownership of money and other funds that are always actually deposited elsewhere, like the City of London. Instead, what we want back from them is the tax not paid on income recorded…

1
The national debt need never be repaid 7:48

6h ago7:48

7:48

The national debt is widely misunderstood. The reality is that this is not a burden. It underpins UK banking. It’s fundamental to UK savers. And a part of it is the UK represents the government’s way of creating the money supply on which we all depend. Repaying it would be absolutely disastrous.By Richard Murphy

1
Large company accounts are works of fiction 8:22

14d ago8:22

8:22

The accounts of the largest companies in the UK and around the world are works of fiction because no company in existence has undertaken the transactions that they record. Is that what we really need when we come to assess what the private sector is up to?By Richard Murphy

1
Rachel Reeves is already making a mess of her Chancellorship 6:25

4h ago6:25

6:25

It would be great to think that Rachel Reeves might go down in history as both the first woman to be Chancellor and as a great Chancellor. The first is hers by right. But she is going all the wrong way about claiming the second title.By Richard Murphy

1
The End of Google As We Know It? 51:12

8d ago51:12

51:12

This week we're taking a quick summer break, but in the meantime, we wanted to re-share a special episode that is relevant in the news again. With the recent federal court ruling that Google engaged in illegal monopolization of internet searches, we thought it would be a great opportunity to share our episode with lawyer Dina Srinivasan. She's an e…

1
We don’t need a wealth tax, yet 9:11

8d ago9:11

9:11

There is a lot of interest in wealth taxes right now. I understand why, but if we want to tackle the problems wealth creates there are two better ways to do that before we ever think of having wealth taxes.By Richard Murphy

1
Saving in itself is merely negative 10:33

8h ago10:33

10:33

The title of this video is a quote from William Beveridge writing in 1944 in the report that became the foundation of the UK welfare state. He realised then, as we should do now, that too many savings in too few hands could be deeply destructive within an economy.By Richard Murphy

1
Why do governments issue bonds when they don’t need to? 9:45

11d ago9:45

9:45

Government bonds do not fund government spending, any more than tax does. So why do governments keep issuing bonds when there is no obvious need for them to do so? #uk #money #economic #politics #bank #government #tax #investment #shareBy Richard Murphy

1
It the government wants growth it should be taxing wealth 5:46

19d ago5:46

5:46

Rachel Reeves says she wants growth. If so, she should tax wealth, because the wealthy save much of what they earn, meaning that they don’t spend it, and so reduce growth. If that same income was redistributed to those on low incomes who will spend it then growth would follow. It really is almost that easy to increase growth.…

1
Final: How to Create a Solution to Poverty 11:53

12d ago11:53

11:53

We delve into the essential process of developing a plan to tackle global challenges like poverty. The lesson guides viewers through evaluating existing solutions, identifying leverage points, and creating a hypothesis for solving the issue. It emphasizes the importance of designing and implementing a detailed plan, measuring results, and iterating…

1
Whatever else is claimed about it, crypto is not a currency 6:18

20d ago6:18

6:18

Cryptocurrencies are nothing of that sort because almost none are ever used to facilitate trade – for which they are wholly unsuited because of their uncertain values. They might just be highly volatile assets. But they might best be seen as mechanisms to undermine the state.By Richard Murphy

1
Solutions: How Can Investing be a Solution to Poverty? 5:35

19d ago5:35

5:35

We explore the concept of investing and its potential as a solution to poverty. We delve into the fundamentals of investing in assets, from stocks and bonds to real estate and businesses, explaining how they can generate wealth and improve living standards over time. We discuss the challenges faced by impoverished communities, such as lack of capit…

1
It’s time to bring the Bank of England back under government control 7:05

4d ago7:05

7:05

It’s claimed that the Bank of England is independent of the government. Almost certainly that’s a complete sham. But it’s one that’s been used to impose policy against the best interests of people in this country. This pretence has to end, and the government has to be accountable for all our economic policy.…

1
Solutions: How Can Economic Protectionism be a Solution to Poverty? 6:23

20d ago6:23

6:23

In this video, we explore the concept of economic protectionism and its potential to alleviate poverty. We explain protectionism from first principles, discuss how it aims to protect domestic industries and promote economic growth, and examine the arguments for and against its effectiveness in reducing poverty. The video also outlines a step-by-ste…

1
Businesses are no more efficient than the people who work in them 5:47

5d ago5:47

5:47

It’s often claimed that business is efficient in a way government never can be. If that was true many fewer would fail. The reality is that both are only as good as the people who work for them – and their skill sets are likely to be remarkably similar.By Richard Murphy

1
Have high interest rates created the risk of a crash? 10:39

7d ago10:39

10:39

Economics says high interest rates should deflate share prices. But that’s not been true since 2021, because the real world does not work the way economics says it does. Instead, high interest rates have led to high share valuations. And now all that could change.By Richard Murphy

1
Solutions: How Can Economic Liberalization be a Solution to Poverty? 7:32

10d ago7:32

7:32

Today, we explore economic liberalization: its definition, its potential to alleviate poverty, and its limitations. Learn how reducing government intervention can promote entrepreneurship, innovation, and foreign investment while creating jobs and fostering economic growth. We also consider the potential downsides, such as income inequality and lab…

1
The far-right in thew USA are trying to deny its tax authority the funding it needs to operate 4:35

6d ago4:35

4:35

Far-right politicians hate government, or so they say. For decades they tried to deny it revenue by operating from offshore. Now they’re trying to deny funding to onshore tax authorities. In both cases the aim is the same: they want to undermine the state by denying it the funding it needs. #uk #money #economic #politics #bank #government #tax…

1
Google is a monopolist 5:13

6d ago5:13

5:13

The trouble with monopolies has been known for well over a century. They can abuse their power to extract excess profits. Google has now been ruled to be a monopoly doing just that. Suppose that this ruling was extended to all monopolies and the power of the big corporation was shattered? What could happen then? #uk #money #economic #politics #bank…

1
Solutions: How Can Progressive Taxes be a Solution to Poverty? 7:32

23d ago7:32

7:32

In this video, we explore how progressive taxes could be a solution to poverty. We start by defining progressive taxes and their underlying principles, followed by an examination of how these taxes redistribute wealth to promote income equality. The video also discusses the potential benefits and drawbacks, including arguments from critics and prop…

1
Government finances are not like those of any household 4:58

7d ago4:58

4:58

Politicians keep claiming that the government must run its affairs just like a household. Absolutely nothing could be further from the truth, or more harmful for our economy.By Richard Murphy

1
Will falling stock markets lead to a recession? 6:01

21d ago6:01

6:01

Around the world stock market values are falling as widespread selling of shares take place. Irrational investors are dumping shares they only recently drove to record high valuations. Is this a timely adjustment, or the sign of a recession to come? It’s hard to tell – but the signs aren’t good, especially for a new government that says it is depen…

1
Solutions: How Can Diversifying the Economy be a Solution to Poverty? 6:32

8d ago6:32

6:32

In this video, we explore the concept of diversifying the economy and how it can be a powerful solution to poverty. We define economic diversification and discuss its benefits, such as job creation, equitable income distribution, and reduced vulnerability to economic shocks. The video also considers the challenges and potential downsides of diversi…

1
You cannot cut your way to growth 3:43

8d ago3:43

3:43

Although Rachel Reeves seems to think otherwise, it’s a simple economic truth that no government can create growth by cutting its spending. That’s because without exception the government’s spending is someone else’s income, and so by cutting its own spending a government always reduces the income in its economy.…

1
There are six reasons to tax and none involve funding the government 9:19

20d ago9:19

9:19

As a matter of fact, tax does not fund government spending because government money creation does that. So why do governments tax? There are six good reasons to do that.By Richard Murphy

1
Solutions: How Can International Trade be a Solution to Poverty? 6:26

9d ago6:26

6:26

Learn about international trade and its role in addressing global poverty. This video explains the principles of trade between countries, how it promotes economic growth, and its potential benefits and challenges. Discover the impact of trade agreements, foreign investment, and policies on poverty reduction. Perfect for passionate students interest…

1
Government deficits create private wealth 6:29

11d ago6:29

6:29

It’s widely claimed that our national debt threatens the well-being and stability of the UK, which is quite absurd when the national debt exactly equates to the value of private wealth that the government has injected into the UK’s economy. Why is it that those talking about the national debt do not seem to know this stuff?…

1
Solutions: How Can Access to Energy be a Solution to Poverty? 7:13

10d ago7:13

7:13

Discover how access to modern energy services can be a transformative solution to poverty. This lesson breaks down the concept of energy access, its benefits, and its challenges. Learn how energy access supports economic growth, improves healthcare and education, and bridges urban-rural disparities. Also, explore real-life examples like the Solar H…

1
Every action has a reaction 4:55

22d ago4:55

4:55

It’s an economic truth that every action has a reaction, and yet economists and politicians often ignore that fact by pretending that some forms of government spending - and most especially benefits – deliver no useful outcomes at all. That’s not true, but what it says is that this process of thinking about reactions requires their serious attentio…

1
Solutions: How Can Sustained Economic Growth be a Solution to Poverty? 7:52

27d ago7:52

7:52

In this lesson from Plato University, we explore the concept of sustained economic growth and its role in alleviating poverty. We discuss the benefits of economic expansion, such as job creation, higher incomes, and increased government revenues for social welfare programs. Challenges like income inequality, environmental impact, and external depen…

1
Governments don’t borrow from financial markets 7:00

23d ago7:00

7:00

The obsession with the national debt is absurd. The UK government has no need to ever borrow money. It can create all the money is wants, when it wants, from the Bank of England. The reality is that the City is desperate to save its excess funds – created by government spending more than the sums it reclaims in taxation – with the government becaus…

1
Labour could create a national bank 4:45

23d ago4:45

4:45

The UK’s banks are amongst its least popular businesses in the country because they don’t give a damn about their customers and provide a perfunctory service. The UK government could provide an alternative in that case – and did at one time, called the GiroBank. I argue that Labour should get on and do this again.…

1
Solutions: How Can Criminal Reentry be a Solution to Poverty? 6:36

11d ago6:36

6:36

In this video, we explore the concept of criminal reentry and its potential to alleviate poverty. We discuss how assisting formerly incarcerated individuals with employment opportunities, reducing recidivism, and providing social support services can help them reintegrate into society and avoid poverty. We also address challenges such as stigma and…

1
Dani Rodrik on the New Economics of Industrial Policy 45:04

12d ago45:04

45:04

Harvard professor of international political economy Dani Rodrik has long been skeptical of what he calls "hyperglobalization," or an advanced level of interconnectedness between countries and their economies. He first introduced his theory of the "globalization trilemma" in the late 1990s, which states that no country can simultaneously support de…

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