The Old World with Will Tanner

In this episode, Will and Karl Dahl discuss the course of the Spanish Civil War, with a focus on how Franco won and why that is relevant to us today. They discuss the tactics used by Franco's forces, how he managed relationships with Western powers by presenting himself as an anti-Bolshevik force, how he managed the Germans and Italians, and how he reinvigorated and rebuilt Spain after the war. Th...

In this episode, Will and Karl Dahl discuss the run-up to the Spanish Civil War, with a focus on the political changes that led to a fight between the traditionalists and the communists and how each side organized. They discuss Spanish history, effective organization, the virtue of seriousness as applied to politics, and what the Spanish Nationalists did effectively that we can learn from.   Find...

In this episode, Will and Natalia discuss the history of the Virginia gentry. They discuss its British origins and in what ways it was different from the British landed elite, its values, the society it created, and its contributions to the fledgling American nation. They also discuss what remnants of it exist, and why its spirit remains relevant.   Find Natalia on X here: https://x.com/classicspi...

In this episode, Will and Black Horse discuss the Laurentian elite, a collection of a few hundred families that rules Canada. They discuss its background, its politics, why it is at war with the energy, why it has imported so many Third World migrants, and the basis of its wealth and power. They also discuss how Canada went from a stronghold of empire to its present, awful state. Overall, they sho...

In this episode, Will and Johann Kurtz discuss Johann's fabulous new book, Leaving a Legacy, with a focus on what can be done to build a dynasty and teach the right values to family members. They discuss charity, Christian theology surrounding inheritance and weatlh, what sort of assets are most conducive to a successful, long-term family, and what sorts of hobbies and activities tend toward incul...

In this episode, Will and Ben Black discuss what separates a family from a dynasty, and what sort of actions you can take to build a dynasty. They discuss everything from financial decisions to the importance of family, the importance of rootedness and how to raise kids with an eye toward infinity, with a focus on building families that last for centuries. They also discuss why having an "estate"...

In this episode, Will and J Burden discuss how young Americans are approaching politics, with a focus on the male-female divide, fracture points within the different coalitions, and how we might be getting more honest politics regarding a few key issues. They discuss how things got here, how big of an issue DEI is, and why certain hot button issues are such a big deal. They also discuss whether ce...

In this episode, Will and Big Tuna discuss the McKinley presidency, with a particular focus on how and why America became an imperial power under McKinley, whether that was a good thing, and how McKinley's perspective on economics informed his push to make America a world power. They also discuss gold as money, JP Morgan, Friedrich List, and Henry Clay, along with what Trump can learn from McKinle...

In this episode, will and Rust Belt Kid discuss the history of the American industrial economy, with a focus on the men, companies, and cities that built the Rust Belt. They discuss America's rise as an industrial power, the political and economic winds that cemented us as the leading industrial power, and how we fell thanks to globalization and regulation. They discuss what made the Rust Belt fal...

In this episode, Will and shampoo manufacturing king turned gentleman farmer and book reviewer Charles Haywood discuss the relative merits of an aristocratic social order compared to the present managerial regime. They also discuss how and why the aristocracy died, why the English model of landed rule was so much better than the others, the roots of an aristocratic order, and why aristocracy and d...

In this podcast, Will and Ben Wilson of the fantastic "How to Take Over the World" podcast discuss power, entrepreneurialism, and the idea of doing something greater in life than just acquisitiveness for its own sake. They discuss the traits and virtues of great men, the tradeoffs between being a man out of time and one who harnesses his time, and why many feel a natural draw the honesty of aristo...

In this podcast, Will and returning guest Councilman Brandon Harnish get granular and discuss the sorts of local projects and policies that can help revive America's small towns. They discuss the importance of a downtown and urban density, why fixing crime is the basis of any successful society, balancing amenities and business, and the controversial topic of property taxes. They also discuss how...

In this episode, Will and financial macroanalyst Robert, of the famous "Infranomics" channel, discuss whether America has been in a long, silent Depression since the 2008 Recession. Pointing to everything from the cost of living as measured in real, gold terms to the massive number of deaths of despair, Robert explains that we likely are in such a Depression. They also discuss the impact robotics...

In this episode, Will and noted X personality, hedge fund trader, and Dallas-based real estate investor Ron Dodson discuss how his family rose to local prominence, turning a family business into a family office, and a Biblical approach to legacy and family continuity. They also comment on building for the long term, how tax policies incentivize bad behavior, and how to raise kids that handle legac...

In this episode, Will and AJR Klopp discuss the differences between industrial capitalism and financial capitalism, with a focus on DEI, ESG, "zombie companies," and financial vampirism. They also discuss past financial panics, forced deleveraging, and what that history means for us. Find Mr. Klopp on X here:  https://x.com/ThirteenFathers Find him on Substack here: https://substack.com/@ajrklopp...

In this episode, Will and Tom Swift discuss the history of America's space exploration, with a focus on the Apollo program and its death at the hands of race communism. They discuss the minset behind the Space Age and Atomic Age, the spiritual reasons for its death, the practical consequences of that, and how we can bring it back. Find Tom on Substack here: https://swiftenterprises.substack.com/

In this episode, Will and Dr. Edward Dutton look at the recent history of the West from a perspective of biology and politics, discussing how certain traits lead to conservative or liberal dispositions and from where wokeness comes, along with what conservative counterraction might come next. They put this in the context of the French Revolution, Spanish Civil War, modern Britain, and modern Ameri...

In this episode, Will and returning guest Sean Wieland discuss the coming problem of illiquidity in capital markets and real estate markets as the problems of low wages and high asset prices start to bite. They discuss how market entrants like BlackRock are causing big problems, the disorder that could stem from this problem, how retirement plans are implicated in it, and how younger guys can prep...

In this episode, Will and New Imperialist Realist discuss the history and tragedy of French Algeria, which went from being a prosperous colony to a decaying, Third World country in crisis thanks to decolonization. They discuss how the French developed Algeria, its uniqueness in French Colonial history, the course of the war between France and the FLN, and how Algeria decayed after the French left....

In this episode, Will and Jason Robertson, also of the American Tribune, discuss the advantages of shifting from corporate work to being an entrepreneur. They particularly focus on the mindset shift that comes with doing something yourself, how America would benefit from returning to high levels of self-employment, and what the problems with modern corporate life are. Find Jason on X here:  https:...

In this breathtaking episode, Rhodesia-born farmer and businessman Rory Duncan discusses his days resisting the Mugabe regime in post-Bush War Zimbabwe and how the regime brutally punished him for his politics. He also tells tales of his life as a bounty hunter in Zambia, and how he worked with everyone from tribal chiefs to Angolan Civil War veterans to track down and destroy a notorious gang of...

Can Britain Be Saved with KM Breakey In this episode, Will and novelist KM Breakey discuss his new book, Britain on the Brink. They focus on the migration problem facing Europe, Canada, and America, and if there is any realistic way for the problem to be fixed. They also discuss when the decline began, when it became terminal, and why it's happening. Check KM out on X here:  https://x.com/KMBreake...

In this episode, Will and Indiana's Coy Colman Brandon Harnish discuss if small town America can be saved from the flight of financial and human capital seen in recent decades. They particularly focus on the opioid crisis, keeping kids in towns, how beautification helps, and what projects have succeeded so far. As a small town council member, Mr Harnish brings many insightful points to the discuss...

In this episode, Will and Rowdy Yates discuss the book "Stalin's War," with a focus on how Stalin was able to shape the war to his advantage, what he was planning all along, and how his agents inside the American and British governments shaped out decisions to his advantage. They also note how Stalin's WWII actions and the decisions foisted on Britain by his agents in America set up the Cold War's...

In this episode, Will and John Carter discuss the history of Canada with a focus on how it went from being a reactionary state filled with High Tories into a state defined by mass migration and managerial socialism. They particularly focus on how Canada's founding identity was destroyed by the fall of the British Empire and post-war socialism, how technocratic socialism turned into civilizational...