Latest Interviews
Showing 151–165 of 295 interview transcripts.
Clear all filters- The Economist8 min
How will South Korea’s new president balance China against America?
South Korean reformist Lee Jae-myung secured a landslide victory in a snap election that served as a direct referendum against President Yoon Suk-yo's failed martial law declaration, effectively ending a period of political instability marked by Yoon's impeachment. Transitioning from a progressive populist to a pragmatic moderate, Lee now faces the dual challenge of reviving a battered economy and navigating a complex foreign policy landscape characterized by looming U.S. tariffs and shifting security alliances. Despite inheriting a nation grappling with the world's lowest fertility rate and deep domestic division, his administration aims to stabilize relations with the United States while maintaining balanced ties with China to address these overlapping crises.
- The Economist7 min
Why Gen X is the real loser generation
This analysis identifies Generation X as the primary "loser" in the generational conflict, citing a convergence of economic stagnation during their peak earning years, a reversal in home ownership rates due to the 2008 crisis, and the erosion of their social safety net by the impending depletion of the US Social Security Trust Fund. The cohort currently faces a documented dip in happiness driven by "sandwich generation" pressures and chronic health issues, exacerbated by the likelihood that the upcoming inheritance wealth will bypass them entirely in favor of younger generations. While historical data supports these cohort-specific disadvantages, the analysis notes that this middle-age unhappiness is expected to subside for Gen X within the next decade, potentially foreshadowing a similar trajectory for Millennials.
- The Economist8 min
Why does Trump admire Saudi Arabia?
Trump, Rachana Shanbhogue, Jason
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has steered Saudi Arabia toward a foreign policy of regional stabilization and ambitious domestic social liberalization to secure the political foundation for his economic transformation agenda. While the kingdom has rapidly dismantled religious restrictions and positioned itself as a mediator in global conflicts, its effort to diversify away from oil through massive giga projects like Neom faces significant hurdles due to stubborn reliance on energy revenues and fiscal strain. Consequently, the regime's long-term stability remains precarious, hinging on its ability to successfully deliver economic prosperity to a young population while managing the risks of potential dissent and investor skepticism.
- The Economist7 min
Is Putin‘s narrative working?
Marked by the arrival of Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russia's 80th Victory Day parade transformed the 1945 Allied triumph into an isolated, state-orchestrated ritual that explicitly excludes Western allies. Vladimir Putin leverages this historical narrative to forge a continuous "cult of victory" that legitimizes his rule and the ongoing war in Ukraine as a reenactment of Soviet-era greatness. The event underscores Russia's geopolitical severance from the West, replacing the original concept of a shared liberation with a dependency on non-Western alliances and a focus on great power status rather than territorial expansion.
- The Economist7 min
Why US tariffs on China will hurt American shoppers
Effective May 2, the Trump administration revoked the "de minimis" exemption, eliminating duty-free status for Chinese imports under $800 and directly impacting the US market-dependent business models of fast-fashion giants Shein and Temu. Facing high tariff costs that threaten their core pricing advantages, these companies currently rely on direct shipping from Chinese hubs while navigating geopolitical pressure from Beijing against relocating manufacturing to avoid tariffs. Experts anticipate Shein and Temu will survive this regulatory shift by diversifying into new global markets and transitioning into multinational corporations despite strict US efforts to close trade loopholes.
- The Economist9 min
Is the world still working from home?
A 2024 survey by Stanford's Nicholas Bloom across 40 nations reveals that hybrid work adoption correlates strongly with cultural individualism, ranging from 1.9 days weekly in Canada to 0.5 days in South Korea. These divergent patterns have reshaped housing markets by driving suburban price surges of up to 50% while depressing urban centers, alongside increased leisure efficiency but a notable 30-minute rise in daily solitary time. Despite concerns over social isolation, the aggregate assessment remains that remote work delivers a net positive global impact by unlocking economic efficiencies in housing and providing critical autonomy for workers.
- The Economist13 min
Has Trump damaged the dollar?
Following President Trump's reciprocal tariff announcements, a simultaneous sell-off in US bonds, equities, and the dollar signals a breakdown in historical market correlations and a generalized flight from American assets. This volatility is driven by aggressive fiscal expansion plans and administration rhetoric questioning the benefits of dollar dominance, which have raised concerns about the sustainability of foreign capital holdings in US Treasuries. While no current alternative currency offers comparable liquidity to challenge the dollar, the resulting permanent risk premium has created a less stable global financial system that requires urgent political coordination to avoid further instability.
- The Economist19 min
Canuck of the draw: Canada’s election campaigns
Rosie Bloor, Jason Palmer, Rob Russo, Aaron Connelly, Alexandra Sewich-Bass
Following Justin Trudeau's resignation, Mark Carney led the Liberal Party to victory in the April 28th snap election by pivoting to economic pragmatism while leveraging a two-horse race against Pierre Poilievre's Conservatives that focused on managing the geopolitical threat of Donald Trump. Simultaneously, China maintained a hardline diplomatic stance in the South China Sea, utilizing strategic pressure on regional partners like India and Australia while avoiding conciliatory negotiations due to President Xi Jinping's centralized control over foreign policy. These political shifts occurred alongside a surge in dystopian fiction sales and cultural analysis, as works like Leila Lalami's *The Dream Hotel* reflected society's increasing acceptance of mass surveillance and risk-based governance in response to domestic instability.
- The Economist9 min
How more women can become CEOs
While the FTSE 100 recently achieved gender parity among non-executive directors, the path to equal female representation in CEO roles remains decades away due to the persistent "motherhood penalty" and structural hiring biases. High-profile departures in 2023, often driven by the "glass cliff" phenomenon where women are appointed during crises, highlight the urgent need to replace ineffective training with behavioral design and Nordic-style family support policies. Experts argue that accelerating these systemic changes is essential to unlock the superior decision-making and success rates associated with fully utilizing the female talent pipeline.
- The Economist14 min
AI bosses on what keeps them up at night
Demis Hassabis, Dario Amodei, Zanny Minton Beddoes
Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei and DeepMind CEO Demis Hassabis offer diverging timelines for Artificial General Intelligence, with Amodei predicting arrival by 2026–2027 and Hassabis estimating a 50% probability only by 2030. Both leaders warn of severe geopolitical risks from authoritarian dominance and catastrophic safety failures, advocating for an international "CERN for AGI" framework and new global institutions akin to the IAEA to manage the technology. While Amodei emphasizes the danger of a self-improving threshold moment and the potential for lab-tested autonomous agents to cause immediate harm, Hassabis highlights regulatory imbalances and the medium-term potential for AI to solve major scientific challenges like curing diseases.
- The Economist7 min
Could AI build cities in space?
Ed Mayer, Mark Woods, Alok Jha
Leading aerospace organizations and private innovators like Machina Labs and Relativity Space are deploying AI-guided robotics to establish autonomous manufacturing capabilities essential for constructing a trillion-dollar space economy by 2040. These dual-robotic systems and advanced 3D printing technologies address critical communication latency and maintenance challenges by enabling independent decision-making for infrastructure projects on the Moon and Mars. Ultimately, this technological paradigm shift facilitates NASA's Artemis program and private ambitions to transition from temporary exploration to a permanent, multi-planetary human presence.
- The Economist20 min
Legally bombed: Trump cases dropped
Trump, Rosie Bloor, Adam O'Neill, Dina Musa, Andrew Palmer
Special Counsel Jack Smith moved to dismiss two federal cases against former President Donald Trump, citing presidential immunity and the constitutional policy barring the prosecution of sitting presidents, while Trump simultaneously declared a 25% tariff on Canadian and Mexican imports. Concurrently, a New York court found Trump guilty on all 34 felony counts regarding hush money payments, though sentencing was indefinitely postponed to prevent the conviction of an active president. Legal analysts note that while these federal cases can be refiled depending on future political control, Trump and his allies view the dismissals as a definitive victory against politically motivated prosecutions.
- The Economist7 min
The World Bank chief on Donald Trump
Donald Trump, Ajay Banga, Zanny Minton Beddoes, RJ Banga
The event analyzes the structural shift in global trade toward nearshoring and bilateral deals driven by the Trump administration's tariff policies while detailing the World Bank's strategic pivot to prioritize climate resilience and local consumption in the Global South. To bridge the funding gap for emerging markets, the institution has raised its climate financing target to 45% by 2025 and actively mobilizes private capital through expanded political risk guarantees and local currency swaps. Despite these efforts, the discussion concludes that current investment levels remain insufficient and that the Bank maintains a cautious stance on nuclear energy, waiting for Small Modular Reactors to achieve commercial viability before providing direct support.
- The Economist9 min
Will young people let democracy die?
A 2023 Open Society Foundations survey across 30 countries reveals a sharp generational decline in democratic support, where only 57% of 18–35-year-olds prefer democracy compared to 71% of those over 55. This dissatisfaction, driven by economic opportunity gaps in mature democracies and reform fatigue in transitioning states, is fueling a global shift toward populist leaders who promise short-term economic relief. While this trend initially boosts support for anti-system actors, it ultimately risks eroding democratic institutions and enabling authoritarianism through growing apathy rather than active opposition.
- The Economist19 min
Ground assault: Israeli forces invade Lebanon
Rosie Bloor, Greg Karlstrom, Noah Snyder, Andrew Palmer
Israel has initiated a targeted ground incursion into southern Lebanon to dismantle Hezbollah infrastructure and facilitate the return of displaced residents, a move supported by the Biden administration only under strict conditions of limited scope. Simultaneously, Japan's political landscape has shifted as Ishiba Shigeru secured the prime ministership through an unprecedented nine-way contest, signaling a pivot toward conservative liberal policies despite facing an unstable coalition. While these geopolitical maneuvers reshape regional stability, separate corporate commentary highlights the detrimental impact of mandatory "sandwich lunches" on workplace efficiency and employee well-being.