Last week, Macrodose returned to SPACE4 for another live show, looking at the future of global political economy under the shadow of Trump 2.0. We explored where the UK fits into this shifting global landscape, what a radical economic programme could look like, and how green politics can rise to meet the moment. Speakers: ​James Meadway ​Maria Finn…

To celebrate the launch of The BREAK—DOWN ISSUE #1, editor Adrienne Buller was joined by Quinn Slobodian and Geoff Mann for a timely conversation on the afterlives of neoliberalism, the climate crisis, and the global rise of the far right. ISSUE #1 The BREAK—DOWN is dedicated to exploring the political economy of the climate crisis. We bring togeth…

To celebrate the launch of The BREAK—DOWN ISSUE #1, editor Adrienne Buller was joined by Quinn Slobodian and Geoff Mann for a timely conversation on the afterlives of neoliberalism, the climate crisis, and the global rise of the far right. ISSUE #1 The BREAK—DOWN is dedicated to exploring the political economy of the climate crisis. We bring togeth…

On this week's MACRODOSE, James Meadway unpacks: First, the UK avoids recession! Where did recent positive GDP figures come from and are they sustainable? (0:48) Second, more news from "The Uninsurable World", as global losses from natural disasters hit $318 billion in 2024 (3:28). And finally, how the Labour government is responding to historic dr…

FULL SHOW: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon.com/macrodose⁠⁠⁠ On this week's episode of The Curve, James Meadway is joined by Faiza Shaheen - distinguished policy fellow at the London School of Economics - to discuss the trade deal recently announced between the UK and US (1:49). In the full episode, James and Faiza investigate the sudden flurry of interest in the te…

On this week’s MACRODOSE, James Meadway breaks down two big stories. First (0:43), fresh warnings from UK food suppliers about the threat of climate change. Second (3:24), tensions between India and pakistan have seen the dismantling of a key treaty over the supply of water. And finally (10:32), a look at what Reform’s successes in the local electi…

FULL SHOW: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon.com/macrodose⁠⁠ On this week's episode of The Curve, James Meadway is joined by Adrienne Buller from The Break Down to discuss the electrical blackouts that hit southern europe, what caused them, and what they mean for climate policy (2:05). In the full episode, James and Adrienne go over the Canadian election results, the …

On this week’s MACRODOSE, James Meadway breaks down two big stories. First (0:35), as US investors continue their sell-off, what could de-dollarisation mean for global markets and the balance of economic power? Second (8:41), James reflects on the legacy of Pope Francis following his passing—highlighting the economic themes of his papacy that have …

FULL SHOW: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon.com/macrodose⁠ On this week's episode of The Curve, James Meadway and Grace Blakeley are joined by Nick Dearden, Director of Global Justice Now and author of Trade Secrets: The Truth About the US Trade Deal and How We Can Stop It. Together, James, Grace & Nick discuss the continued fallout from Trump's tariff turbulence (2:1…

On this week's MACRODOSE, James Meadway focuses on the one huge story of the week: Trump’s tariffs and the end of globalisation (1:17). As Washington announces a sweeping 10% minimum tariff on all US imports, decades of economic orthodoxy are being upended—and the world economy is being reshaped before our eyes. What do we make of it, and what happ…

In a new show from Macrodose:The Curve, James Meadway and Grace Blakeley break down the week’s biggest economic stories and what they mean for all of us. Joining them on this episode is former Greek finance minister and Diem25 secretary Yanis Varoufakis to discuss Trump's so-called 'Liberation Day' of tariffs (1:46). In the full episode, Yanis Jame…

On this week's MACRODOSE, James Meadway unpacks: the UK's Spring Statement and Labour’s reckless welfare cuts (0:51), how Trump’s America is using dollar swap lines to pressure the EU (7:55), and how global shipping companies are raking in record profits from worldwide trade disruptions (16:55). For exclusive content—including our new chat show, Th…

James is away from the show this week, so we’re sharing a great conversation between him and Paris Marx for the podcast Tech Won’t Save Us - a show offering a critical take on Big Tech and its impact on society. Paris and James dive into the UK’s relationship with tech. Why is Keir Starmer promising to, quote, “mainline AI into the veins of the nat…

On this week's MACRODOSE, James Meadway unpacks: Germany’s dramatic break from austerity as the government abandons its balanced budget commitments for the first time since 2009 (1:14), and a look at Rachel Reeves' planned cuts in Britain, sticking to the same old austerity playbook even as Germany goes the other way (10:37). For exclusive content—…

In a new show from Macrodose:The Curve, James Meadway and Grace Blakeley break down the week’s biggest economic stories and what they mean for all of us. In this excerpt, they discuss the recent German federal election results and how Die Linke managed to turn things around (1:08). In the full episode, James and Grace look at how US food imports ar…

On this week's MACRODOSE James Meadway unpacks: Trump and Putin’s plans for Ukraine – and the geopolitical stakes for Europe (1:29), why new research debunks the myths about working from home (7:50), and our top economics reads for beginners (12:08). For exclusive content, including our new Macrodose chat show - The Curve - visit: ⁠⁠https://www.pat…

In a new show from Macrodose:The Curve, James Meadway and Grace Blakeley break down the week’s biggest economic stories and what they mean for all of us. In this excerpt, they discuss the Bank of England’s interest rate cut and its forecast of 3.5% inflation- are we seeing the return of stagflation? (0:40) In the full episode, James and Grace exami…

On this week's MACRODOSE, James Meadway unpacks: the Bank of England’s gloomy forecast for the UK economy (1:08), new warnings about just how water-hungry Britain’s data centres will be (6:23), and how the rising price of eggs is the fresh political headache for US president Donald Trump (13:57). Red Shadow - 'Stagflation' Jo Michell - 'Rate cuts w…

In the first episode of The Curve, James Meadway and Grace Blakeley dive deeper into the economic stories hitting the headlines and what they mean for all of us. First up is US President Donald Trump announcing a slew of tariffs that have provoked reaction globally. For the full episode with James and Grace, head to Patreon.com/macrodose…

On this week's MACRODOSE, James Meadway unpacks: how China’s new DeepSeek AI model is sparking chaos in Silicon Valley (0:38), a look back at the first 10 days of Trump 2.0 and the early economic trends emerging (6:53), and a listener question: what the hell is Trump coin, and why is it now worth millions of dollars? (13:18). For exclusive content,…

In the media, the importance of the legacies of empire and colonialism are often dismissed, with the public conversation often centring on the "culture war" elements of this history, from debates about statues to institutions like the National Trust becoming "woke". The implication of much of this discourse is that empire and colonialism are featur…

In much of the media, the importance of the legacies of empire and colonialism are often dismissed, with the public conversation dominated by the "culture war" elements, from debates about statues to institutions like the National Trust becoming "woke". The implication within much of this discourse is that empire and colonialism are features of the…

James is on personal leave this week, so we’re bringing you a special recording from October 2024: the book launch of From the Ashes: Grief and Revolution in a World on Fire by Sarah Jaffe. Find the full episode at patreon.com/Macrodose. Grief is everywhere in today’s world, yet even in our movement spaces, it’s often a topic left unspoken. As we n…

Around the world, politics is incredibly polarised, but if there’s one thing politicians of all major parties can agree on, it’s growth — that their political rivals failed to deliver growth, that we need more of it, and that getting it will solve all of our problems, from inequality and poverty to crumbling public services and stalling investment.…

Politics is increasingly polarised, but if there’s one thing politicians of all major parties can agree on, it’s growth — that their political rivals failed to deliver growth, that we need more of it, and that getting it will solve all of our problems, from inequality and poverty to crumbling public services and stalling investment. But not everyon…

On this week's MACRODOSE, James Meadway unpacks: the wildfires in California and their potentially catastrophic economic fallout (1:20), a New York Times piece on the politics of climate change and whether it’s time for a new “green populism” (11:54), and the financial mess Keir Starmer’s government is already finding itself in (17:00). Biden Left …

On this week's MACRODOSE, James Meadway unpacks: India’s economic slowdown and how climate change is transforming traditional models of development (0:48), Trump’s bid to buy Greenland and the geopolitical race for Arctic resources (8:00), and the surprising economics of olive oil, with prices finally expected to fall this year (13:08). For exclusi…

Macrodose is on a winter break this week, but we’re excited to share a special recording from back in May 2024: the book launch of The Exhausted of the Earth by Ajay Singh Chaudhary. This compelling conversation, hosted by Dalia Gebrial, Lecturer in Geography and Social Justice at King’s College London, dives into the urgent political and scientifi…

A lot has happened in the six months since we launched this project. It feels like every week of 2024 has packed a decade’s worth of news. In just the past few weeks, we've seen crises hit the French and German governments, the fall of the Assad regime in Syria, a day of martial law in South Korea, and, of course, Trump’s reelection to the White Ho…

This week, Macrodose teams up with our partner show The Break Down for a special crossover episode. James Meadway and Adrienne Buller look back on the whirlwind that was 2024 – a year defined by political upheaval, economic instability, and escalating climate crises. They revisit the standout stories of the year, from surging infectious diseases an…

On this week's MACRODOSE: James Meadway explores the new Cold War as Trump gears up to escalate US-China trade tensions (1:47) and examines the broader geopolitical and environmental shifts challenging the postwar order (12:04). AI-Generated Production Networks Paper: https://aipnet.io/paper/ For exclusive content, including The Fix—Macrodose's mon…

In 2024, we’re set to break a major climate threshold for the first time: this will be the first calendar year in which global average temperatures breach the 1.5 degree Celsius threshold enshrined in the Paris Agreement. Importantly, while one year at this temperature doesn’t mean all is lost, it does fire a profound warning shot over our falterin…

In 2024, we’re set to break a major climate threshold for the first time: this will be the first calendar year in which global average temperatures breach the 1.5 degree Celsius threshold enshrined in the Paris Agreement. Importantly, while one year at this temperature doesn’t mean all is lost, it does fire a profound warning shot over our falterin…

On this week's MACRODOSE, James Meadway discusses the battle to develop climate-resilient potatoes (0:50), a new proposal on revamping Britain’s council farms (7:33) and a brief note on Trump’s new appointments, what can we expect from MAGA 2.0? (11:23). Abundance Report: https://www.in-abundance.org/latest/new-report-food-systems-in-common For mor…

On this week's MACRODOSE, James Meadway explores the disappointing outcomes of COP29 in Baku, focusing on the economics of financing green transitions in the Global South (0:38), and examines how China’s $2 billion bond sale in Saudi Arabia reflects the rise of a multipolar world (8:16). For more content, including The Fix - Macrodose's monthly new…

On this week's MACRODOSE, James Meadway examines the growing political battle over food policy as farmers protest inheritance tax changes (0:46), new forecasts from the Network for Greening the Financial System on the economic damage climate change could inflict globally (7:11), and finally, James tackles a listener question: do we need more than a…

In the wake of the US election, hot takes and autopsies of the Democrats’ fairly spectacular loss are a dime a dozen. Amid the swirl of diagnoses there has also been real fear about what a Trump presidency means for the climate — an issue that felt almost entirely absent from either campaign, despite its significant role in Biden’s policy platform.…

In the wake of the US election, hot takes and autopsies of the Democrats’ fairly spectacular loss are a dime a dozen. Amid the swirl of diagnoses there has also been real fear about what a Trump presidency means for the climate — an issue that felt almost entirely absent from either campaign, despite its significant role in Biden’s policy platform.…

On this week's MACRODOSE, James Meadway dives into the fallout from the US election, exploring what another four years of Trump could mean for US climate policy and the global economy (1:16), before turning to another major election—this time in Japan—where the ruling conservative coalition lost its majority in a snap election (7:58). With incumben…

Today we're publishing a crossover episode with our friends over at the Politics Theory Other podcast. Alex and James discussed what the result means for the global economy, US domestic policy and the wider context of a world in crisis. Support Macrodose and receive updates here: https://www.patreon.com/macrodose Support PTO, and receive some of th…

Last week we celebrated our 100th episode of the show with another live event! James was joined by Co-Leader of the Green Party, Carla Denyer MP, and economists Faiza Shaheen, and Grace Blakeley, to break down Labour's Autumn Budget. A massive thank you to everyone who joined us at Space4! Apologies to anyone awaiting our ELECTION ECONOMICS episode…

Amid the threat of “Project 2025”, ongoing genocide in Gaza, and a nation-wide battle over reproductive rights, to name a few major issues, the climate crisis has been considerably sidelined in the US election taking place on November 5th. But even if it’s not grabbing headlines, what the United States does — or does not do — on climate has profoun…

Amid the threat of “Project 2025”, ongoing genocide in Gaza, and a nation-wide battle over reproductive rights, to name a few major issues, the climate crisis has been considerably sidelined in the US election taking place on November 5th. But even if it’s not grabbing headlines, what the United States does — or does not do — on climate has profoun…

On this week's MACRODOSE, James Meadway looks ahead to this afternoon’s Autumn Budget, breaking down what you need to know about Labour's devoutly “pro-growth” agenda and how it all fits into a bigger picture of our changing political and economic landscape (2:20). Check out our new ELECTION ECONOMICS series, available only for MACRODOSE supporters…

FULL EPISODE: patreon.com/Macrodose Election Economics is back! Over the next few weeks, James will be joined by an array of expert thinkers to cover all things political economy in the run-up to the US Presidential Election on 5th November. On this week’s show, James sat down with renowned economic historian Adam Tooze to discuss his recent writin…

In a 2023 referendum, the people of Ecuador voted 59% to 41% to stop exploiting oil in the Yasuní region, one of the most biodiverse places on Earth, with more tree species in one single hectare than in all of the landmass of Canada and the US combined. It was a massive break with the global status quo, in a year when fossil fuel use around the wor…

In a 2023 referendum, the people of Ecuador voted 59 per cent to 41 per cent to stop exploiting oil in the Yasuní region, one of the most biodiverse places on Earth, with more tree species in one single hectare than in all of the landmass of Canada and the US combined. It was a massive break with the global status quo, in a year when fossil fuel us…

On this week's MACRODOSE, James Meadway dives into growing concerns over the use of surveillance technology by US supermarkets and how it’s being leveraged to drive price gouging (1:14), before turning to a recent BBC report on the UK’s health crisis and it's economic fallout (5:29). Check out our new ELECTION ECONOMICS series, available only for M…

We have become incredibly good at producing food. In doing so we have transformed our planet. Yet when we go to the supermarket or eat at a restaurant, the supply chains, labour and environmental impacts that went into our food are all but invisible. Those impacts are huge. Today, humans and livestock make up 96 per cent of all mammals. Agriculture…

We have become incredibly good at producing food. In doing so we have transformed our planet. Yet when we go to the supermarket or eat at a restaurant, the supply chains, labour and environmental impacts that went into our food are all but invisible. Those impacts are huge. Today, humans and livestock make up 96% of all mammals. Agriculture consume…