The Econoclasts

This week, Yanis Varoufakis and Wolfgang Munchau take aim at Europe's core illusions. Are Europe's 'values' anything more than a slogan when its leaders fail to defend a French ICC judge sanctioned by the Trump administration? And why is Europe fixated on rapidly increasing defence spending to 3.5% of GDP - is this target a genuine strategy to counter Russia and achieve independence, or is it a do...

This week on The Econoclasts, Yanis Varoufakis and Wolfgang Munchau challenge two global orthodoxies: Europe's cynical strategy in the Ukraine war and the alleged freedom of the cryptocurrency world. Are European leaders actively frustrating any Ukraine peace plan to buy time for re-armament? And did last week’s crypto winter confirm that the digital currency universe has been taken over by an unh...

On this episode of The Econoclasts, in an important week for the British economy, Yanis Varoufakis and Wolfgang Munchau debate speculation over Keir Starmer’s leadership and whether political instability is now a permanent feature of Westminster - before dissecting the fatal mistake at the heart of Rachel Reeves’ budget, her reliance on economic “experts”, and why Reeves is paralysed by a crisis o...

This week on The Econoclasts, Yanis Varoufakis and Wolfgang Munchau debunk two more establishment orthodoxies. First, Wolfgang challenges the widespread belief that the euro is a safe and permanent currency and investigates the deep structural flaws that were never fixed, exploring whether a new political shock in a major country like France could be the trigger that finally unravels the entire pr...

This week on The Econoclasts, Yanis Varoufakis and Wolfgang Munchau debunk two more establishment orthodoxies. First, Yanis challenges the widespread belief that China is actively trying to dethrone the US dollar as the world's reserve currency, arguing that while Beijing wants independence from US sanction power, it is strongly opposed to the idea of taking on the burden of the reserve currency....

In this first episode of The Econoclasts, Yanis Varoufakis and Wolfgang Munchau debunk two failed economic orthodoxies shaping our world. First, they dismantle the narrative that Europe is helping Ukraine - and striking a powerful blow against Russia - by raiding Russia’s frozen assets. More than this being legally questionable, is it also economically and geopolitically self-defeating? Next, they...

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 pillar...

This week, Tom and Helen follow on from the previous episode by analysing Donald Trump's response to the multipolar world and its implications, especially for Europe. They dive into Trump's clear actions towards Russia, the complications with China, the broader strategic shifts, European interests, NATO's current state, and rising geopolitical tensions involving Turkey. Hosted on Acast. See acast....

In this week's episode, Tom and Helen zoom out to look at the wider geopolitical world order coming into being in the midst of Donald Trump's second term, and whether American acceptance of a multipolar world is the key thread in Trump's geopolitical ambitions. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Tom and Helen discuss the growing American debt crisis and whether Donald Trump's bold political moves can be understood as a response to this escalating financial challenge. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Tom and Helen discuss the growing focus on the US-Ukraine minerals deal and its potential impact on intelligence sharing and arms supplies. They also explore whether the war in Ukraine has evolved into a battle over resources amid rising global geopolitical tensions. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Tom and Helen discuss the recent whirlwind of political events: Keir Starmer's meeting with Donald Trump after announcing a boost in British defense spending, Volodymyr Zelensky’s fiery Oval Office press conference, and European leaders’ efforts to draft a peace plan for presentation to the U.S. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Tom and Helen discuss the aftermath of Germany's election, where the Christian Democrats won but with their second-lowest vote tally ever. They explore what these results mean for the future of European politics and the shifting dynamics of Europe’s relationship with the United States. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week Tom and Helen discuss the impact that peace talks with Russia might have on the United States security commitment to Europe. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of These Times, Tom and Helen discuss the deep history behind Trump's latest round of tariffs on China, Mexico and Canada; how the US has used tariffs throughout history, how protectionism shifted between the Democratic and Republican parties, and what it all means for global politics. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Following on from the previous episode, this week, Tom and Helen expand even further on the topic of Europe and its dependance on the United States. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Tom and Helen discuss what Donald Trump's presidency means for Europe, historically, after his revealing first week in office. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Tom and Helen delve into Joe Biden's farewell address, why he warned of a new tech oligarchy and the possible new epoch in American politics. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Tom and Helen delve into Donald Trump's open attempt to annex Greenland, retake the Panama Canal, and seduce Canada into joining the United States. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For the first episode of 2025, Tom and Helen take a deep dive into the life and worldview of the world's richest man; who is Elon Musk, what does he believe - and what does he want? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On the final episode of the year, Tom and Helen reflect on the events of 2024 and how they may effect the geopolitical future. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For our Christmas special episode Tom and Helen take a look back at the state of British politics this year and ask the question - Is British politics unravelling? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week Tom and Helen return to the extraordinary situation in Syria and question whether it's really possible to have a unified Syrian state. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Following the collapse of the French government, Tom and Helen discuss the Franco-German crisis in the new age of Trump. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Economist's Defence Editor Shashank Joshi joins Tom and Helen for an early episode this week to discuss how the Assad regime fell so rapidly and what this means for Syria and the world. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.