Riches and Power

Hosted by Alex Doubet

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Dec 2025

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About the show

Listen in on interviews with world-renowned experts exploring the forces in history that shaped the world both then, and now. The topics we explore vary from whaling, to the Roman games, but they always touch on the intersection between riches and power, particularly in business and economic history.

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39 recent

December 9, 202551 min

Innovation in the Great Depression w. Jason Voiovich

Imagine living through the Great Depression. It was a bleak time in American history with unemployment as high as 25% and despair all around. Looking back, it looks like a bleak time… but that may not be entirely true. In the midst of the pain and dislocation of the Depression, there was a flourishing and little-studied blossoming of entrepreneurship and invention that brought out things that we still use and appreciate today. Join us as we learn about the brighter side of the Great Depression. 

June 25, 20251 hr 1 min

Constitutional Powers w. Richard Primus of U Mich

Imagine a world in which the government has unbounded power, circumscribed by no constitution. This was the reality of things for most of human history, but more recently, in much of the world we have become accustomed to a constitution that limits the power of the government. In the United States, the constitution specifically lists—or enumerates as it is traditionally referred to—powers that the federal government has. These enumerated powers are always subject to ongoing debate, expansion, and contraction.

May 13, 202549 min

Economic Crashes w. Harold James of Princeton

Imagine a world without economic crashes. A world in which the economy is always up and to the right, forever. That sounds like a great world, but it is also, perhaps, a less vibrant world. A world in which innovations are adopted less readily and new ways of thinking never emerge. Join us as we learn about economic crashes with Professor Harold James of Princeton who recently published a book examining economic crashes throughout history called Seven Crashes.

April 11, 202517 min

Short: China Shock w. Gordon Hanson of Harvard

The China Shock started in earnest in the early 2000s after it entered the World Trade Organization. In those years, the American heartland's manufacturing was gutted as a result of the shockingly fast entry of cheaper Chinese goods into the world stage. That was China Shock 1.0. Why was that shock so impactful, and what is going on during today's China Shock 3.0 to many other countries. Join us for this timely discussion given the ongoing Trump trade war and tariffs.

April 9, 202545 min

The Great Air Race w. John Lancaster

Imagine a world in which people dying in airplanes wasn’t international headline making news. A world, instead, in which planes crashing was a common, everyday occurrence. A little over 100 years ago, there was an air race that captivated the country as its participants raced from coast to coast, then back again. But this wasn’t a simple race. It was also a concerted effort to usher in the age of aviation. Join us as we learn about one of the pivotal moments in the history of early aviation.

March 24, 202553 min

The Podcast Industry w. Gary Arndt

How much do podcast hosts make? What does it take to get your show listened to? Why is podcasting such a great business model? Gary Arndt is a longtime podcast host of Everything Everywhere Daily, one of the most listened to history podcasts on the planet. We had a great discussion about the podcast industry itself. Join us for the ride!

March 11, 202557 min

Mixed Martial Arts & the UFC w. Rolling Stone’s Jack Crosbie (pt. 2)

Part 2: Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) rose from obscurity into being the third most popular sport on the planet. How did such a violent, oft-frowned-upon sport become so popular? And how did Dana White come to so dominate the sport via his Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) brand? This is a multi-billion dollar sport that you may not ever have heard much about.Join us as we explore this fascinating business with Rolling Stone contributor Jack Crosbie, himself an MMA hobbyist. This is part one of a two-part episode.

February 21, 202543 min

Mixed Martial Arts & the UFC w. Rolling Stone’s Jack Crosbie (pt. 1)

Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) rose from obscurity into being the third most popular sport on the planet. How did such a violent, oft-frowned-upon sport become so popular? And how did Dana White come to so dominate the sport via his Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) brand? This is a multi-billion dollar sport that you may not ever have heard much about.Join us as we explore this fascinating business with Rolling Stone contributor Jack Crosbie, himself an MMA hobbyist. This is part one of a two-part episode.

February 3, 202527 min

Housing Policy & HUD w. Jack Ryan (pt. 2)

In Part 2 of our conversation with CEO of Rex, Jack Ryan, we talk about an OpEd in the Wall Street Journal he recently published: "What Does HUD Have to Show for the Trillions It’s Spent?"We dig deep on the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, its staggering spend over the past six decades, and why it has struggled to achieve any of its aims (including driving down the cost of housing).

January 20, 202544 min

Housing Policy & HUD w. Jack Ryan

CEO and Author Jack Ryan recently wrote an op ed in the Wall Street Journal called "What Does HUD Have to Show for the Trillions It’s Spent?" and subtitled: "The U.S. homeownership rate was 64% in 1967, two years after the department opened. Now it’s . . . 64%."He is an entrepreneur, an expert on housing policy, and a crusader against incumbent housing policy. Join us as a discuss American housing policy and why it has been so ineffectual at achieving its stated aims.Mr. Ryan founded real estate brokerage Rex and recently published Bringing Adam Smith into the American Home: A Case Against Home Ownership.