The Econoclasts is a new podcast from UnHerd hosted by economist Yanis Varoufakis and journalist Wolfgang Munchau. While they don't always agree politically, they are united in one conviction: the consensus is rotten. Mainstream economics has consistently failed to predict the events that shape our world, yet this broken orthodoxy still dominates policy and media. Each week, they choose two pillars of the established orthodoxy — the "settled facts" — and shatter them, cutting through the spin to connect the dots between money, geopolitics, and the real forces shaping our future.
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In this episode of The Econoclasts, Yanis Varoufakis and Wolfgang Munchau dissect Trump’s Russian diesel deal to expose the collapse of Western unity, while debunking the
Oct 13 40 min
France’s fiscal crisis & Europe's dangerous war fever
In this episode of The Econoclasts, Yanis Varoufakis and Wolfgang Munchau dissect the gathering financial and political storm in France, expose the self-defeating mechani
Oct 6 47 min
Europe's pre-war madness & the reindustrialisation myth
In this episode of The Econoclasts, Yanis Varoufakis and Wolfgang Munchau dissect the escalating geopolitical tensions between Western powers, Russia, and China, expose t
Sep 29 39 min
Germany’s political meltdown & how the Left betrayed Europe
In this episode of The Econoclasts, Yanis Varoufakis and Wolfgang Munchau dissect the systemic breakdown of German centrist politics, reveal the uncomfortable truth about
Sep 22 43 min
The AI extinction myth & Europe’s tech collapse
In this AI focussed episode of The Econoclasts, Yanis Varoufakis and Wolfgang Munchau expose the recent apocalyptic warnings from tech bosses as tricks for regulatory cap
Sep 15 45 min
Germany's AfD surge & the death of the European project
In this episode of The Econoclasts, Yanis Varoufakis and Wolfgang Munchau dissect the political fallout from the AfD’s electoral breakthrough in Germany, debunk the estab
Sep 8 45 min
Iceland's EU rejection & the North Atlantic debt trap
Get your tickets for The Econoclasts Live: The world after capitalism, here: http://unherd.com/econoclastslive
In this episode of The Econoclasts, Yanis Varoufakis and W
Sep 1 42 min
America’s debt spiral & China’s big AI bet
In this episode of The Econoclasts, Yanis Varoufakis and Wolfgang Munchau debunk the mainstream economic orthodoxy that reserve currency status grants America immunity fr
Aug 25 31 min
The decline of the US empire - with Richard D. Wolff
In this episode of The Econoclasts, Yanis Varoufakis and guest Richard D. Wolff analyse the decline of US imperial hegemony, tracing how eroding global power, systemic ec
Aug 18 37 min
The wealth tax myth & Britain’s dangerous Rejoin trap
In this episode of The Econoclasts, Yanis Varoufakis and Wolfgang Munchau debunk dominant economic orthodoxies surrounding wealth taxes as a quick-fix silver bullet for i
Aug 11 44 min
The greatest fraud in human history – with Ron Paul
In this episode of The Econoclasts, Yanis Varoufakis and guest Representative Ron Paul join forces across the traditional Left-Right political spectrum to debunk the conv
Aug 4 30 min
China’s hidden crisis & the West's dangerous wealth bubble
In this episode of The Econoclasts, Yanis Varoufakis and Wolfgang Munchau reveal the hidden macroeconomic realities behind China’s ongoing growth recession and local debt
Jul 28 41 min
The UK’s investment trap & the lie behind Western wealth
In this episode of The Econoclasts, Yanis Varoufakis and Wolfgang Munchau dissect the political delusions stalling Western growth, debunking the idea that state investmen
Jul 21 38 min
Europe’s populist panic & China’s real free market
In this episode of The Econoclasts, Yanis Varoufakis and Wolfgang Munchau dissect the establishment’s self-defeating 'lawfare' strategy against rising right-wing populist
Jul 14 37 min
The tragedy of America 250 & the truth about Ukraine
In this episode of The Econoclasts, Yanis Varoufakis and Wolfgang Munchau analyse the structural decay of American hegemony at its 250-year milestone, while exposing the
Jul 7 38 min
The great Brexit myth & Germany’s industrial collapse
In this episode of The Econoclasts, Yanis Varoufakis and Wolfgang Munchau debunk the popular orthodoxy surrounding Brexit, exposing the phoney statistics used to fabricat
Jun 30 39 min
The fall of Starmer & Europe's great energy swindle
In this episode of The Econoclasts, Yanis Varoufakis and Wolfgang Munchau dissect the fallout of Keir Starmer’s resignation to expose a broader Western leadership crisis,
Jun 23 36 min
NATO’s narrative collapse & Anthropic’s AI shutdown
In this episode of The Econoclasts, Yanis Varoufakis and Wolfgang Munchau expose the dangerous flaws of a newly hyped Trump-Iran pre-deal, reveal how Europe's aggressive
In this episode of The Econoclasts, Yanis Varoufakis and Wolfgang Munchau debunk conventional wisdom by analysing Germany’s shocking UN Security Council voting failure as
Jun 9 37 min
AI's job apocalypse & the transhumanist endgame
In this episode of The Econoclasts, Yanis Varoufakis and Wolfgang Munchau debunk the delusions surrounding artificial intelligence by examining how its recent ability to
Jun 2 34 min
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Chart positions
Where The Econoclasts ranks today in each Apple Podcasts chart (US, Oct 20, 2026).
A curated, balanced selection of Apple Podcasts reviews.
Two heterodox economists who agree the consensus is rotten, and disagree about almost everything else. It works beautifully.
The format is admirably disciplined: each week they pick two pillars of orthodoxy — the "settled facts" — and take them apart. No guests, no small talk, just an hour of argument. Recent episodes have gone after the phoney statistics behind the Brexit self-harm story and Germany's automakers losing the EV race to China.
The chemistry is the draw. Varoufakis brings the structural argument and the memorable phrase; Münchau brings the reporter's instinct and the awkward footnote. Neither lets the other coast.
Bracingly clever, refreshingly unimpressed by received wisdom, and never boring. The best antidote to the FT-and-*Economist* worldview currently in your feed.
Md713 · Jul 2026
Real information and thoughtful analysis. Imagine the days when this could be said of many news shows! Sadly, today there are few and this is one of them. Thank you.
jesuisich · Mar 2025
This podcast is essential to understanding the fullness of what is happening in the world. Thank you for your study and research and thoroughness in each and every episode.
CSG22222 · Mar 2025
The hosts are pros, seem to genuinely engage in dialogue with each other and their guests, and possess appealing gifts for articulation. Episodes 118 and 119 are particularly outstanding examples of excellent context communication.
Jed-I jester · Jan 2025
I’ve been trying to stick with this show for the sake of Helen Thompson’s excellent political analysis, but Tom is just too much of a hack for me to stomach.
I listen to podcasts to learn new things and gain additional perspectives. The problem is that Tom is all opinion all the time, it’s vapid hot take after vapid hot take. Every discussion regarding America is about his favorite pet theory “American Imperialism” without ever even beginning to acknowledge other perspectives. And I cannot stand the way he drips all over himself when he talks about Donald Trump’s “tactical brilliance.”
Helen, by contrast, sticks the facts and develops her arguments (whether I agree with them or not) based on those facts. For Tom, there is no basis in facts. Only pet theories of everything and the regurgitation of them as though they were true.
I’m unsubscribing, which is a shame cause I’ll miss the 2/5ths of the episode where Tom lets Helen speak.
Fhggaja · Jul 2024
Big, long-time fan of Helen. But anytime this pod veers into US topics it immediately becomes clear they don’t know how to navigate American politics at all, even basic operational facts. It can be quite inane. Interesting things are happening in the U.K. with the new government - stick with what you know!
AwesomePossum3 · Jul 2024
We strive to present a balanced view by showing a diverse range of reviews from Apple Podcasts.
Here you find the Apple Podcasts chart positions of The Econoclasts, its latest episodes to listen to directly, and reviews from listeners. Rankings are updated daily for the United States.
