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Artwork for Who Makes Cents?: A History of Capitalism Podcast

Who Makes Cents?: A History of Capitalism Podcast

Jessica Levy and Dylan Gottlieb
Capitalism
African Americans
Freedman's Bank
Racial Capitalism
Seth Rockman
Gun Capitalism
Racial Wealth Gap
Mass Consumerism
Slavery
Outdoor Industry
Financialization
National Rifle Association
Antebellum America
North and South
Reconstruction
American Capitalism
Frederick Douglass
Colonialism
Cold War
Property Tax

Who Makes Cents?: A History of Capitalism Podcast is a monthly program devoted to bringing you quality, engaging stories that explain how capitalism has changed over time. We interview historians and social and cultural critics about capitalism's past, highlighting the political and economic changes that have created the present. Each episode gives voice to the people who have shaped capitalism – ... more

PublishesMonthlyEpisodes127Founded12 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
HistorySociety & Culture

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Artwork for Who Makes Cents?: A History of Capitalism Podcast

Latest Episodes

The year was 1984, "The Year of the Yuppie," according to Newsweek magazine. Yuppies may have been a classic 1980s stereotype, but they were also a very real demographic as revealed in this month's episode featuring our very own Dylan Gottlieb. Gottl... more

The very dregs. Of the very lowest kind. This is how radical abolitionist David Walker described the freedom accorded Black people in the 19th century. In this month's episode, Justin Leroy explores the economic thought of people like Walker, alongsi... more

For those in the Global North, the twentieth century was the Fordist century—an era of mass production and mass consumption. But as Quinn Slobodian and Ben Tarnoff argue in their new book, there's another order afoot: Muskism.

Elon Musk, they show... more

Today, we welcome Jessica Levy, co-host of Who Makes Cents, onto the program—not as an interviewer, but as a guest.

She's here to talk about her remarkable new book, Black Power, Inc: Corporate America and the Rise of Multinational Empowerment Poli... more

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Recent Guests

Dylan Gottlieb
History professor and author of Yuppies, The Bankers, Lawyers, Joggers, and Gourmands Who Conquered New York
Bentley University
Episode: Dylan Gottlieb on Yuppies, Financialization, and the New Inequality
Justin Leroy
Assistant Professor of History and African and African-American Studies at Duke University
Duke University
Episode: Justin Leroy on the Lowest Freedom, Racial Capitalism, and Abolition Democracy
Quinn Slobodian
Co-author of Muskism, historian
Wellesley College / book author
Episode: Quinn Slobodian and Ben Tarnoff on Muskism
Ben Tarnoff
Co-author of Muskism, historian
Book author
Episode: Quinn Slobodian and Ben Tarnoff on Muskism
Jessica Levy
Author of Black Power, Inc.
Purchase College, SUNY
Episode: Jessica Levy on the Strange Career of Black Empowerment
Sean Vanatta
Senior lecturer in financial history and policy at the University of Glasgow
University of Glasgow
Episode: Sean Vanatta Joins for a Banking Mega-Pod
Sven Beckert
The Leert Bell Professor of History at Harvard University
Harvard University
Episode: Sven Beckert on a Global History of Capitalism
Mike Glass
Author and Historian
Boston College
Episode: Mike Glass on the Surprisingly Precarious Postwar Suburbs
Rudi Batzell
Associate Professor of History at Lake Forest College
Lake Forest College
Episode: Rudi Batzell on Racialized Working-Class Politics in the U.S. and British Empires

Hosts

Jessica Levy
Host/Co-host with multiple appearances; associated with the program.
Dylan Gottlieb
Co-host with multiple appearances; central to interview format.

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 153 ratings
  • Huge Fan

    This show brings academics together in a palatable way for non-academics. I’m just such a huge fan of Jessica and Dylan and their thoughtful questioning and structuring of each episode. Awesome work.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    teddyconover
    United States2 years ago
  • Still great

    Enjoy the interviews with authors. Good in-depth convos and interesting questions. Keep up the good work!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Andrew loves pods
    United States2 years ago
  • A space to learn (and un-learn)

    Who Makes Cents has quickly become a favorite for me! No matter the topic, I gain something from every episode. Really grateful for this resource... keep up the amazing work, Jessica!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Arlie K
    United States4 years ago
  • Monthly deep dives on economic and labor issue from a progressive/Left perspective. Typically academic and the interviews are a little too pre-planned but the guests and subjects are usually excellent and that's what's most important.

    Podcast Addict
    5
    curious
    5 years ago
  • The ultimate

    The best podcast in existence. Thank you, thank you, thank you, THANK YOU!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Blitz723
    United States5 years ago

Listeners Say

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

Interviews with authors are deep and well-structured, offering valuable context.
Some listeners note sound or pacing improvements needed but value the content overall.
Academic, accessible discussions; hosts balance questions with guest expertise.
Listeners praise macro, historical framing that connects past to present capitalism.

Chart Rankings

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

Apple Podcasts
#174
Argentina/History

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Dylan Gottlieb on Yuppies, Financialization, and the New Inequality
Q: What lessons or takeaways should readers get from this study of yuppies?
Readers should understand how policies, institutions, and social attitudes created a structural framework that embedded inequality, and consider pathways for coalition-building across professional and working classes to reorient politics toward more equitable urban and economic outcomes.
Dylan Gottlieb on Yuppies, Financialization, and the New Inequality
Q: How does focusing on yuppies help us understand urban changes like gentrification?
Yuppies acted as catalysts and beneficiaries of capital redeploying into urban cores, initiating reinvestment, housing displacement, and the branding of cities via events like the New York City Marathon, which reshaped neighborhoods and the city's social fabric.
Dylan Gottlieb on Yuppies, Financialization, and the New Inequality
Q: What role did this generation of young urban professionals play in financialization?
They became central to finance moving to the center of the economy, driving profits through banking, law, and related services, while also shaping culture, labor practices, and urban life as part of a broader shift toward shareholder value and deregulation.
Dylan Gottlieb on Yuppies, Financialization, and the New Inequality
Q: For those who might not be familiar, what is a yuppie?
Yuppies are the 1980s stereotype of young urban professionals who moved to cities like New York, embodying a shift toward finance-driven growth and new consumer tastes, while also being a real demographic that contributed to the city's transformation.
Sean Vanatta Joins for a Banking Mega-Pod
Q: What does bank supervision do for a central bank?
Vanatta explains that it involves ensuring banks comply with laws and sound banking practices, and it includes institutional engagement regarding risk management.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
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Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About This Podcast

What is This Podcast about and what kind of topics does it cover?

This program consistently brings historians and critical thinkers together to unpack the historical development of capitalism and its social, political, and cultural ramifications. Across episodes, conversations center on racial capitalism, abolitionist thought, the role of corporations and state power, and the global interconnections shaping economic life. Notable threads include the evolution of Black empowerment within corporate and civil rights contexts, the banking and financialization of everyday life, urban financialization and housing, and the cultural critique of work under late capitalism. The format often pairs in-depth book discussions with macro-level analyses, offering listeners both scholarly context and accessible storytelli... more

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1. Know Your Enemy
2. Behind the News with Doug Henwood
3. Jacobin Radio
4. Citations Needed
5. The Nation Podcasts

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this podcast launched 12 years ago and published 127 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 this podcast?

Recent guests on this podcast include:

1. Dylan Gottlieb
2. Justin Leroy
3. Quinn Slobodian
4. Ben Tarnoff
5. Jessica Levy
6. Sean Vanatta
7. Sven Beckert
8. Mike Glass

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