Nobel laureate Professor Joseph Stiglitz delivers a stark assessment of America's economic trajectory in this compelling and wide-ranging conversation with veteran broadcast journalist and Foreign Correspondents' Club of Hong Kong first vice president Karen Koh.

Drawing parallels between current political upheaval and historical threats to democratic institutions, Stiglitz argues that abandoning Enlightenment principles - science, education, and rule of law - undermines long-term economic prosperity. From the AI bubble inflating tech stocks while leaving Main Street behind, to immigration policies creating labor shortages across industries, Stiglitz dissects how policy chaos breeds uncertainty that stifles investment and consumer confidence. He challenges conventional wisdom on manufacturing revival through tariffs, advocating instead for innovation in green technology and construction.

The discussion spans critical global challenges: deteriorating US-China relations hampering climate cooperation, trade deficits worsened by fiscal irresponsibility, and the emergence of a fragmented world order made more perilous by the complex geopolitical relationships involving North Korea, China, and Russia. Stiglitz warns that America's retreat from international leadership has created a "G minus one" scenario where other nations advance multilateral solutions without US participation. This episode offers essential insights for understanding how domestic political choices ripple through global markets, supply chains, and diplomatic relationships - and how all of this gets just a bit more complicated with the arrival of AI and its associated investment bubble.

Produced by Jarrod Watt.

Theme music composed and performed by Allen Youngblood.

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