The More Freedom Foundation Podcast

The Tudor Dynasty that ruled England from 1485 to 1603 is most famous for the drama at court, from Henry VIII's bluebeard tendencies to Elizabeth I's many fruitless suitors. But there was a lot more going on in this era than just bodice ripping. Join us as Rob & Ruairi make the case that this centralizing era was at least as important to the birth of British power as the much more cele...

Step into the annals of history with the More Freedom Foundation Podcast as we disinter one of England's most famous rulers - King Henry VIII. Henry is renowned for his brutality and cruelty to his many wives, but he also pulled off an audacious political maneuver that forever altered the religious and political landscape of the modern world. Despite all the chaos Henry VIII positioned his cou...

The European Union spent the first two decades of this century more worried about the United States than Russia. And they were right to do so. With Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the EU's great bid for independence from the United States ended, for a generation, if not longer. In this gripping episode your hosts Rob and Ruairi delve deep into the challenges Europe faced in...

Bob Kagan won. Join hosts Rob and Ruairi as they delve into the opinions and career of renowned scholar and author, Robert Kaga n & his most recent analysis . Known for his influential perspectives on global politics and foreign policy, Kagan has been a prominent voice in shaping public discourse. Though perhaps not as well known as earlier subjects of discussion, like Peter Zeihan, Kagan'...

Tune in to "The More Freedom Foundation" as we look into the intricacies of the Chinese economic slowdown and illustrate intriguing parallels with Japan's economic history. In the past few decades, China's meteoric rise has captured the world's attention, transforming it into an economic powerhouse. However, like any economic giant, it is not immune to the ebbs and flows of t...

Is Bidenomics working? In recent weeks, more and more commentators have begun to wake up to how well things are going. Inflation is falling, markets are up, and unemployment is stubbornly low. And in stark contrast to the decade after the 2008 financial crisis, it appears to be normal people benefitting instead of the top 20%. So are President Biden and Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell geniuses...

El Salvador is a fascinating country. Its dynamic and somewhat scary president, Nayib Bukele, sits at the center of two of the world's most important questions: crime and cryptocurrency. In this podcast we explore the country's vibrant history, touching on tumultuous events that have shaped it over the past 100 years but focusing on the past 30 years and the past 4 years in particular. Rob...

Join us as we delve into the rich and complex history of Cuba, and its terrible relationship with the United States. This episode is very reliant on Rob & Ruairi's interpretation of Ada Ferrer's wonderful book "Cuba: An American History". This episode unravels the intricate relationship between Cuba and the United States, exploring key moments, figures, and events that have s...

Is the Biden administration trying to craft a new deal with Iran? And what do Israel and Saudi Arabia have to say about it? Join the More Freedom Foundation as we delve deep into one of the most pressing geopolitical issues of our time— stopping a war between the United States and Iran. In this episode, Rob and Ruairi take you on a journey through the sad history of very successful diplomatic nego...

Join Rob and Ruairi as we examine the factors that have contributed to the worsening of US-Chinese relations in recent years. It's pretty clear to Rob that we're doing the New Cold War Wrong. We identify the pillars of the past half century of relations between the two countries, and go into the very real reasons why the US needs to revise one of them. The trade pillar has to change, the T...

In this thought-provoking episode, Rob & Ruairi delve deep into the tumultuous relationship between the United States of America and Syria, shedding light on the profound damage inflicted upon the war-torn nation by its civil war. Join us as we explore just how responsible the United States is for this catastrophe inflicted on the Syrian people and their government. The Arab Spring, initially...

US sanctions are a much used, and almost universally abused tool of US policy. Targeted sanctions against war criminals are fine, but the economy-killing actions that the US has taken against Iran, Venezuela, Syria and Afghanistan, among others, are mass murder pure and simple. In this week's episode, we dive deep into the Center for Economic and Policy Research's thought-provoking "T...

Join us as we shed light on the Kurdish struggle, exploring the deep-rooted issues surrounding their treatment and the relevance of their experiences to this past weekend's election in Türkiye. The Turkish obsession with Kurds and fear of Kurdish rights may be justified on some levels, but it's now cost the opposition its second best chance to rid itself of President Erdogan, their failing...

Join Rob and the other guy as we delve deep into the intricate relationship between capitalism, Reaganism, liberalism, and the potential obstacles they present for the emergence of AI-driven societies that prioritize progress, equality, and human well-being. Through engaging discussions we'll examine the ways in which these ideologies impact the development and implementation of artificial int...

In this episode, Rob & Ruairi examine the ways in which our dying Reaganite era may be skewing the trajectory of AI technology in unfortunate directions. We'll discuss how the principles of deregulation and free markets may be hindering efforts to regulate the development and use of AI. We'll also explore how the focus on individualism and wealth creation may be contributing to inequal...

As Turkey prepares for its presidential and parliamentary elections, there are growing signs that President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's grip on power may be slipping. Despite his long tenure as the country's dominant political figure, Erdoğan is facing mounting challenges from a range of opponents, including opposition parties, civil society groups, and even some within his own party. In this p...

On the eve of Turkey's presidential and parliamentary elections, many experts are predicting that President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan will once again emerge victorious. But why is this the case? What factors are contributing to Erdoğan's enduring popularity among Turkish voters, despite widespread concerns about his authoritarian tendencies and the country's economic and political challenge...

Today we take on Ray Dalio's vision of the future as outlined in his book "Principles for Dealing with the Changing World Order". Rob provides a nuanced analysis of the book's claims and offers an alternative perspective. Dalio was an extremely successful investor, but he doesn't know much about history or world politics. We explore the many flaws and biases in Dalio's wo...

Over the past week, Sudan's interminable "transition" tipped over into civil war. The coup-happy military junta has split up, with the two components of the old dictator's army, the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), facing each other in bloody battles in the capital Khartoum and across the country. In this podcast, we aim to provide you with an in-de...

In this episode, we explore the sad story of Steven Donziger's treatment at the hands of the US judicial system. Donziger, a human rights lawyer who has dedicated his career to holding Chevron accountable for pollution in Ecuador, has been targeted to an absurd extent by Chevron and the federal court of the Southern District of New York. Voices on the right and left who have spoken out against...

Rob is as mad as hell and he's not going to take it anymore. He is not alone in his frustration - many people are just plain sick of the constant Trump coverage and continued drama around whatever judicial proceeding will fail to impose any real consequences this time around.  The recent Trump trial has been a major topic of discussion in the political world. Many have voiced their opinions on...

In this episode, we'll be reviewing Peter Zeihan's worldview, and discussing some of the criticisms he receives. Zeihan is known for his provocative geopolitical analysis, but some experts argue that his predictions are often overly simplistic or misleading. One of the biggest points of contention is Zeihan's belief in US withdrawal, his argument that America is retreating from global...

The Saudi-Iran "peace deal" is a promising development in the ongoing rivalry between the two regional powers. China should be applauded for whatever role they played in moving things forward. But the "deal" is being blown massively out of proportion. While some analysts see the Chinese role in these negotiations as a challenge to American power, commentators that actually know...

In this episode we dive into the US banking crisis that started with the fall of Silicon Valley Bank last weekend. With the collapse of Signature, Silvergate, and now Credit Suisse as well, experts are getting worried about potential ripple effects not just in the US, but across the worldwide financial industry. We discuss the factors that led to this crisis, including high interest rates, weak in...

Last episode we covered the disastrous idea of a US invasion of Mexico. In today's part 2, we put on our speculative hats to wonder just how bad it could get. In most contexts the idea of a new US civil war is ridiculous. But a conflict with Mexico would be destabilizing enough to bring serious conflict to all of North America's cities.  In recent weeks, there has been accelerating talk of mi...