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The Story of Money

Financial Times
Donald Trump
China
Private Equity
Artificial Intelligence
Financial Times
Federal Reserve
US Economy
Elon Musk
Electric Vehicles
Tariffs
Berkshire Hathaway
Northvolt
Palantir Technologies
Mergers and Acquisitions
Investment
Islamic Banking
Wall Street
KKR
Blackstone
Warren Buffett

FT columnist Gillian Tett and FT Alphaville editor Robin Wigglesworth dig into the ideas, personalities and institutions that have shaped the history of finance.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes344Founded8 years ago
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BusinessHistory

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Latest Episodes

How do you tell if an economy is actually working? Most economics classes point to controlled inflation, steady growth, or low unemployment - but what if the level of financial fraud is the real hidden indicator?

Robin Wigglesworth and Gillian Tett ... more

Long before Silicon Valley, the grandson of a 15th Century German peasant named Jakob Fugger built a mining and banking empire that dwarfed today’s tech titans, accumulating a fortune estimated at $4 trillion in today’s terms. Richer than the Medici,... more

Is money a tool of moral decay or a force for human liberation? Dante feared money would corrupt and damn us, placing bankers in the eighth circle of hell - just one above Lucifer. James Joyce saw it as a tool of freedom, and markets and trade as vit... more

What did Jesus really think about money? When he overturned the tables of the money changers in the Temple in Jerusalem, accusing them of turning a sacred "house of prayer" into a "den of robbers", he also set off a series of events that would eventu... more

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Recent Guests

Greg Steinmetz
Former journalist and historian, author of The Richest Man Who Ever Lived
Independent historian
Episode: Meet the Fuggers: Europe’s richest family ever
David McWilliams
Author of Money, A Story of Humanity
Author, Money, A Story of Humanity
Episode: Why Dante put bankers in hell and James Joyce didn't
Tom Thatcher
Historian of Jesus as a historical figure and ordained church minister
Episode: He expelled the money changers. So was Jesus anti-capitalist?
Brooke Masters
FT colleague, US managing editor of the FT in America
Financial Times
Episode: The ‘Sheriff of Wall Street’ who exposed bankers’ lies
Benedikt Koehler
Author of Early Islam and the Birth of Capitalism
Institute of Economic Affairs
Episode: Mohammed: prophet, trader . . . and capitalist?
Liaquat Ahamed
Author of Laws of Finance; financial historian
Author of Laws of Finance; 1873
Episode: How a stock market crash gave birth to modern antisemitism
Kim Bowes
Professor of Ancient History and Archaeology, University of Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania
Episode: The hidden financial world of ancient Rome
Richard Sylla
Financial historian, Professor Emeritus of Economics at NYU Stern
New York University Stern School of Business
Episode: The canal that shaped American finance
Robert Armstrong
FT US Financial Commentator, host of the Unhedge Podcast, FT writer
Financial Times
Episode: The trader who made $100mn from the 1929 crash — only to lose it all

Hosts

Gillian Tett
Host of The Story of Money
Robin Wigglesworth
Co-host of The Story of Money

Reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars from 1.2k ratings
  • Meh

    With interesting topics, the possibility for insightful conversations is there. However, it ends up following the same top level capitalist thinking path each time. Very predictable and hard to finish an episode.

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    Bfg154
    United Kingdom12 days ago
  • Jesus times

    I think it’s absurd your guest says we have no idea about how it feels to be taxed at seventy percent. They didn’t endure the pollution we do, from noise to light to information; they had more peaceful lives as did majority of our ancestry.

    Do an episode on the cost of externalities (old growth forest destruction, estuary removal, flood plain dyking, monoculture farming, noise pollution, light pollution, fresh water contamination, air pollution; I bet it is as costly or more costly than entire ... more

    Apple Podcasts
    4
    WilderLander
    United States12 days ago
  • Awfully disappointing

    Totally missing important points, with significant factual inaccuracies. Disappointing when considering this is the FT. The presenters and researchers must do better.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    D@nnY3-1415926
    United Kingdom15 days ago
  • So disappointing

    I love financial markets history and Gillian Tett. But sadly Robin Wrigglesworth completely ruins these podcasts (he is joint on most but not all - seek those out) either his childish/ banal /

    Unfunny jokes and stilted presentation. I assume he is here to appeal to a young audience.

    They probably feel even more patronised than I do. Gillian is great by the way.

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    David 240866
    United Kingdoma month ago
  • Wonderful, fascinating program!

    As others have said, this program is interesting, informative and revealing. Puts so much into perspective. I look forward to each new edition.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    CaityC
    United Statesa month ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Overall, listeners appreciate the depth and historical framing of financial topics.
Some listeners feel the show is biased or repetitive in focusing on certain narratives.
Appeal for serious, evidence-based finance history fans, with some calls for more accessible delivery.
Quality of interviews and production receive mixed feedback, with praise for strong guests but critique of hosting style.
The show is frequently recommended to those who want to understand how past financial events shape today's markets.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Spotify
#50
United Kingdom/Business
Apple Podcasts
#28
United Kingdom/Business
Apple Podcasts
#150
Canada/Business
Apple Podcasts
#91
Australia/Business
Apple Podcasts
#94
Italy/Business
Apple Podcasts
#135
Germany/Business

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Meet the Fuggers: Europe’s richest family ever
Q: Hi Greg, thanks so much for being here today. How did the Fugger family rise to such immense influence in Europe?
Greg explains that Jacob Fugger built an empire by combining meticulous bookkeeping, strategic lending to the Habsburgs, expansion into copper and mining, and leveraging relationships with the Papacy and imperial rulers, all while controlling information through a comprehensive balance sheet that allowed rapid, large-scale financial decisions.
He expelled the money changers. So was Jesus anti-capitalist?
Q: Why did Jesus attack the money changers in the temple, and how did that lead to consequences for him?
The act symbolized challenging an exploitative, centralized economic system that monetized religion and privileged the temple elite, which provoked Roman authorities and contributed to his ultimate fate.
He expelled the money changers. So was Jesus anti-capitalist?
Q: So Tom, what was Jesus' experience of money in daily life given the economy around Nazareth and Jerusalem?
Money existed largely as coinage and barter, with limited cash and heavy taxation; Jesus' teachings focus on the moral use of wealth and the dangers of hoarding or exploiting others through economic power.
The hidden financial world of ancient Rome
Q: How did ordinary Romans access credit and manage debt when drought or poor harvests hit?
Credit was pervasive and often tied to collateral like land, dowries, or even family members' labor. Debt could be secured through assets or labor, and families used a mix of loans, pawn, and wage labor to survive. Even in hardship, many used money as a flexible instrument—moving between cash, credit, and goods—rather than relying solely on coin for transactions.
The 1980s Garfield buyout that changed corporate finance
Q: Why did many see this as a turning point for the private equity industry?
Because it demonstrated the profitability of highly leveraged acquisitions at scale, captured broad media attention, and inspired a flood of similar transactions that transformed Wall Street and the corporate landscape, despite later critiques about value creation and long-term impact.

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Frequently Asked Questions About The Story of Money

What is The Story of Money about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A history-focused finance show that explores how money, markets, and monetary systems evolved through time. Across episodes, hosts illuminate the ideas, people, and institutions that shaped finance—from ancient economies to modern banking, monetary policy, and private equity. Notable strengths include deep historical context, access to renowned historians and economists, and a narrative style that ties together policy, technology, and culture. The format often features expert guests and insightful storytelling that helps listeners connect macro events to everyday financial life. The podcast is likely to appeal to listeners who enjoy rigorous history-led finance analysis and want takeaways useful for understanding today's economic world.

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Which podcasts are similar to The Story of Money?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The Story of Money:

1. Unhedged
2. The Economics Show
3. FT News Briefing
4. FT Tech Tonic
5. The Rachman Review

How many episodes of The Story of Money are there?

The Story of Money launched 8 years ago and published 344 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on The Story of Money?

Recent guests on The Story of Money include:

1. Greg Steinmetz
2. David McWilliams
3. Tom Thatcher
4. Brooke Masters
5. Benedikt Koehler
6. Liaquat Ahamed
7. Kim Bowes
8. Richard Sylla

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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