1. 1968 – Born to be wild

2024-07-07

Why are two old, unpopular men the main candidates for the world’s most demanding job? It’s the question John Prideaux, The Economist’s US editor, gets asked the most. And the answer lies in the peculiar politics of the baby boomers.

The generation born in the 1940s grew up in a land of endless growth and possibility, ruled by a confident, moderate elite. But just as they were embarking on adult life, all that started to come apart. The economy faltered, and the post-war consensus came under pressure from two sides: from the radical right, who hated government moves on civil rights – and from the ‘New Left’, as boomers rebelled against their parents’ generation and its war in Vietnam.

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2024-07-05

Britain has elected a Labour government (https://www.economist.com/britain/2024/07/05/labours-landslide-victory-will-turn-politics-on-its-head) for the first time in 14 years. The party inherits a spattered legacy and a country that is often seen as a laughing stock internationally. We consider Sir Keir Starmer’s long to-do list: growing the economy, mending Britain’s reputation…and moving house within 24 hours (https://www.economist.com/britain/2024/07/04/nukes-and-king-charles-but-no-door-key).

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2024-06-27

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2024-06-21

Since his election last year, President Javier Milei has enjoyed some economic and political wins in Argentina. But his toughest fight (https://www.economist.com/leaders/2024/06/19/javier-mileis-next-move-could-make-his-presidency-or-break-it) is yet to come. On Britain’s general election trail, our correspondent found voters less keen on the prospect of a Labour victory than on punishing the Conservative party (https://www.economist.com/britain/2024/06/18/britains-conservatives-rule-the-thames-estuary-not-for-long) at the polls (10:00). And remembering Birubala Rabha (https://www.economist.com/obituary/2024/06/20/birubala-rabha-fought-to-end-the-stigmatisation-of-women), who campaigned against witch-hunting in India (18.35).

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2024-06-12

We have dusted off and tuned up our forecast model (https://www.economist.com/interactive/us-2024-election/prediction-model/president?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners) for America’s presidential race. So far it gives Donald Trump a marginally higher chance of a second term. There is at last progress on not one but two vaccines to beat malaria (https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2024/05/30/new-fronts-are-opening-in-the-war-against-malaria?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners) (9:02). And a look at the “tradwives

2024-06-05

Narendra Modi, the strongman of India, will have to compromise now his party has lost its majority (https://www.economist.com/asia/2024/06/04/a-shock-election-result-in-india-humbles-narendra-modi). What does the surprise result mean for the country? As some foreign investors shy away from Africa, the continent’s private sector (https://www.economist.com/business/2024/05/23/africa-inc-is-ready-to-roar) is serving domestic customers to fill that hole (10:02). And how mastering circus stunts (https://www.economist.com/science-and-technology/2024/05/08/to-stay-fit-future-moon-dwellers-will-need-special-workouts) could help future moon-dwellers exercise (16:42).

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