In this episode of Econ 102, Noah Smith and Erik Torenberg cover the transformation of global manufacturing, the rise of the electric tech stack, the landscape of jobs and economic policy, and the state of today’s online discourse.
–
SPONSORS:
NetSuite
More than 42,000 businesses have already upgraded to NetSuite by Oracle, the #1 cloud financial system bringing accounting, financial management, inventory, HR, into ONE proven platform. Download the CFO’s Guide to AI and Machine learning: https://netsuite.com/102
–
FOLLOW on X:
https://twitter.com/eriktorenberg
https://twitter.com/Noahpinion
–
TIMESTAMPS:
00:00 Introduction
01:46 Industrial policy in Canada vs. the U.S.
03:20 Defense, manufacturing, and the electric tech stack
07:45 Automation, batteries, and the future of manufacturing jobs
10:10 The decline of manual labor and rise of engineering roles
12:00 Why manufacturing is crucial for exports, especially for small countries
13:20 U.S. manufacturing boom: what it would take
18:20 Export promotion and economic cycles
20:00 Booms, busts, and over-financing in tech and industry
22:10 U.S. vs. China: lawyers vs. engineers, redistribution vs. growth
25:45 Leadership, historical parallels, and the role of government
28:00 China’s industrial policy, overproduction, and “involution”
32:00 Over-competition in China and the limits of export-driven growth
34:00 Winner-take-all in software vs. over-competition in physical industries
36:00 Political violence, cancel culture, and the chilling effect on public speech
40:00 Social media, polarization, and the decline of grassroots cancel culture
–
Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details, please see a16z.com/disclosures. Read More
