Political economist Mark Blyth joins Nick and Goldy to unpack the myths and realities of rising prices, from pandemic supply shocks and corporate profiteering to central-bank missteps and decades of bad economic theory. Drawing from his new book Inflation: A Guide for Users and Losers, Blyth explains why some narratives fall flat, why others reveal deeper truths about power and inequality, and what smarter, more equitable policies could look like in the future.
Back to Basics Series: Homo Economicus Must Die (with Samuel Bowles)
What if the relentless drive to maximize personal gain isn’t human nature, but just a flawed model we built? In this Back-to-Basics episode, behavioral economist Samuel Bowles helps us lay homo economicus—the myth of the perfectly rational, self-interested actor—six feet under. He shows how this caricature not only misrepresents human behavior, but underpins an economic system that ignores cooperation, community, and ethics. If we’re hoping to reclaim our society from greed-driven oligarchs and neoliberal policy, we need a better model—which starts with recognizing that humans are more than economic robots.
Back to Basics Series: Is the American Dream a Lie? (with Christian Cooper and Khiara Bridges)
The promise of the American Dream—work hard, play by the rules, and you’ll get ahead—is unraveling before our eyes.
In this Back-to-Basics episode, Christian H. Cooper and law professor Khiara Bridges join Nick and Goldy to posit whether economic mobility has ever truly existed, or if the system was rigged from the start. As wages stagnate, homeownership drifts out of reach, and inequality worsens, their conversation exposes how the American Dream has always been selectively granted and systematically denied.
Amid today’s debates over “competitiveness” and “opportunity,” this episode is a reminder: the American Dream didn’t disappear by accident—it’s been taken. Understanding how is the first step toward winning it back.
Back to Basics Series: How Monopolies Feed Plutocracy (with Matt Stoller)
When a few giants dominate the economy, democracy is the first to go. In this back-to-basics episode, author and anti-monopoly expert Matt Stoller unpacks how concentrated corporate power doesn’t just warp markets—it tilts the political playing field toward plutocracy. Drawing from his book Goliath, Stoller shows how corporate giants from banks to Big Tech leverage economic dominance into political control, fueling authoritarianism and undermining citizen power.
This is more than an economics lesson—it’s a warning, and one that we must hear, now more than ever. Political power isn’t confined to ballots and policy. It lives in company boardrooms and consolidated industries. Understanding how monopolies operate is the first step toward reclaiming American democracy.
Back to Basics Series: Does the Market Really Pay You What You’re Worth? (with Marshall Steinbaum and Saru Jayaraman)
We’ve all heard the story: In a fair market, workers are paid exactly what they’re worth. Economists even have a […]
Back to Basics Series: The Velocity of Money (with Ann Pettifor)
If you’ve ever wondered why the economy feels stuck, even when it seems like there’s a lot more money in the system, this episode will blow your mind.
Political economist Ann Pettifor joins Nick and Goldy to explain why money isn’t flowing like it used to, and why that matters. Over the last century, the velocity of money (how quickly a dollar circulates) has plummeted. Today, each dollar in circulation generates up to 70% less economic activity than it did just ten years ago, so it’s not being circulated through the local economies, growing wages and building small businesses with each transaction. Instead, new dollars are just frozen in place.
The culprit? Excess money sitting at the top—hoarded by the wealthy and corporations instead of getting spent.
Pettifor shows that taxing the rich isn’t just fair—it’s pro-growth. Redistribution accelerates the velocity of money, unleashing demand, expanding markets, creating jobs, and ultimately boosting prosperity for everyone. If you’re ready to reclaim the economy from its top-down chokehold, this back-to-basics episode isn’t optional—it’s essential.
Back to Basics Series: Is Economics Moral? (with Heather McGhee)
For decades, orthodox economics has treated morality as irrelevant—as if economic decisions happen in a vacuum, separate from our values and social bonds. But that approach has failed spectacularly, giving cover to policies that divide and exploit us.
In this episode, Heather McGhee joins Nick and Paul to argue that morality must be central to how we think about the economy. They explore how racial division has been weaponized to undermine collective action, why “structural racism” can’t be addressed without naming the powerful actors behind it, and how inclusive economic policies lead to more prosperity for everyone.
Part of our Back-to-Basics summer series—essential listening for anyone ready to reject trickle-down and reimagine the economy as a moral system built on trust, justice, and cooperation.
Back to Basics Series: Where does economic growth really come from? (with W. Brian Arthur and Cesar Hidalgo)
Is economic growth just about money, trade, and GDP? Or is something deeper at play?
In this episode, economist W. Brian Arthur and physicist Cesar Hidalgo join Nick and Goldy to reveal the real drivers of rising prosperity: human knowledge, know‑how, and innovation. They challenge the old assumptions of growth and argue that innovation isn’t a byproduct of a strong economy—it’s a cause of economic growth. Once we understand that, it changes how we think about investing in people and shaping the economy.
Part of our Back‑to‑Basics summer series. Essential listening for anyone who believes that growth should empower people, not enrich the status quo.
Back to Basics Series: Is Econ 101 a Lie? (with Eric Beinhocker and James Kwak)
Trickle-downers love to pretend that “Econ 101” is a convincing argument against policies like the minimum wage that invest in working Americans. But the truth is that mainstream economists are terrible at predicting how the economy will behave in the future…Is Econ 101 broken?
In this key foundational episode for the podcast, we dismantle the myths of orthodox economics and expose Econ 101 for what it really is: not a science, but a simplistic story used to justify inequality and defend the status quo. Our guests Eric Beinhocker (The Origin of Wealth) and James Kwak (Economism) explain how outdated assumptions about markets, people, and growth have warped economic thinking—and why it’s time to write a new, better story about how the economy actually works.
Part of our Back-to-Basics summer series. Essential listening for anyone ready to move beyond trickle-down talking points and think middle-out.
Back to Basics Series: What the hell are they talking about? Econ terms explained! (with Nick and Goldy)
Ever find yourself halfway through a Pitchfork Economics episode thinking, “Wait… what’s a monopsony?” You’re not alone.
In this listener-favorite episode, Nick and Goldy break down some of the most important—and most misunderstood—economic terms we use on the show. From ‘neoclassical’ and ‘neoliberal’ to ‘monopoly’, ‘monopsony,’ ‘stock buybacks,’ and ‘heterodox economics,’ we cut through the jargon so you can focus on what really matters: understanding how the economy works—and who it works for.
Part of our Back-to-Basics summer series. Fun, clear, and essential episodes for new (or slightly confused) listeners.