Ones and Tooze
Foreign Policy
Foreign Policy economics columnist Adam Tooze, a history professor and a popular author, is encyclopedic about basically everything: from the COVID shutdown, to climate change, to pasta sauce. On our new podcast, Tooze and FP deputy editor Cameron Abadi will look at two data points each week that explain the world: one drawn from the week’s headlines and the other from just about anywhere else Tooze takes us. Check out Adam Tooze’s column at https://foreignpolicy.com/author/adam-tooze/.
Episodes
Mentioned books
55 snips
May 8, 2026 • 57min
The K-Shaped Economy
They explain how the top 10% now account for nearly half of U.S. consumer spending and why that creates a K-shaped economy. They explore how stock gains and inflation hit different groups and whether monetary forces like the Cantillon effect drive divergence. They discuss global comparisons and the political fallout from growing economic splits. The episode also revisits Thatcher’s monetarism, privatization, and long-term consequences.
37 snips
May 4, 2026 • 1h 3min
Bonus Segment: Mamdani's New York
A live discussion about New York’s new mayor and his democratic socialist approach. They outline a threefold strategy: policy delivery, media discipline, and reshaping expectations of government. Key topics include rent freezes, buses, childcare, fiscal constraints, tax politics with Albany, and experiments like public supermarkets. The conversation connects practical municipal reforms to broader progressive strategy.
36 snips
May 1, 2026 • 55min
Who Is Kevin Warsh?
A deep look at the likely new Fed chair, his background in finance and law, and how his views could reshape interest rate policy and central bank communication. A rewind to his role during the 2008 crisis and the politics and money that surround him. A separate segment explores Michael Jackson as a cultural and economic phenomenon, from his Motown roots to the costs of superstar labor.
23 snips
Apr 24, 2026 • 57min
The War in Sudan
They unpack the scale, human cost and geopolitical stakes of the multi‑year war in Sudan. They explore how artisanal gold, foreign backers and drone warfare shape the conflict. They trace Islamabad’s design as a planned Cold War capital and why Pakistan is now hosting high‑stakes US–Iran talks.
74 snips
Apr 17, 2026 • 45min
Ones and Tooze Live in Washington, D.C.
Adam Tooze, a history professor and foreign policy economics columnist, brings sweeping historical and economic perspective. He unpacks the surge in global policy uncertainty and whether 'polycrisis' fits today. He contrasts market calm with elite alarm, examines wars' unintended outcomes, digs into AI and social contracts, and assesses China’s planning and strains on US institutions.
112 snips
Apr 10, 2026 • 58min
The Energy Crisis
A wide-ranging take on an Iran-driven energy shock and how it echoes Suez and 1970s oil crises. They probe supply chokepoints, market integration, and renewable supply-chain geopolitics. A deep dive into Hungary's politics examines national capitalism, ties with Russia and China, and why populist leadership attracts global admirers.
54 snips
Apr 6, 2026 • 39min
Interview with Iran Expert Ali Vaez
Ali Vaez, director of the Iran Project and Iran politics scholar, joins to unpack Tehran’s post-strike power shifts and new hardline figures. He discusses Iran’s resilient command networks, contingency ‘mosaic’ plans, and risk tolerance. Talks cover negotiation channels, Tehran’s cost calculus, regional fallout, and how Iran might rebuild militarily and seek external partners.
29 snips
Apr 3, 2026 • 39min
The Economics That Drove the Tiananmen Square Protests
Adam Tooze, Columbia history professor and Foreign Policy economics columnist, offers a compact historical-economic take on the 1989 Tiananmen protests. He traces inflation, overheating growth, and widening socioeconomic displacement. He maps policy responses, Deng's 1992 pivot, US-China reintegration, and how those shifts shaped China’s long-term political-economy.
64 snips
Mar 27, 2026 • 31min
The Enduring Impact of the War in Iran
Adam Tooze, Columbia history professor and economics columnist, brings wide-ranging analysis to the Iran war's fallout. He discusses Gulf states' differing roles, Dubai's commercial resilience, why Gulf oil exporters invest in renewables, and how China and airlines may be affected. Short, sharp takes on global coalitions, supply-chain risks, and who wins or loses economically.
74 snips
Mar 20, 2026 • 55min
Iran and Habermas
Adam Tooze, Columbia history professor and foreign policy economics columnist, offers sweeping analysis of Iran’s escalation and global oil market shocks. He explores Strait of Hormuz risks, war insurance costs, and Iran’s strategic advantages. He then turns to Jürgen Habermas, outlining his ideas on the public sphere, communicative action, and critiques of technocracy.
