Promising trade talks imploded after a literal 11th-hour change from the American side. We examine the new trade barriers being erected, and the complex calculation for Prime Minister Mark Carney. In Japan Gen X workers are even still bearing the costs of an economic bubble-burst from the 1990s. And how fates of civilisations have turned on sieges throughout history. 

Guests and host:

• Hal Hodson, Americas editor
• Moeka Iida, East Asia reporter
• Richard Cockett, senior digital editor
• Jason Palmer, co-host of “The Intelligence”

Topics covered: 

• Canada, the United States, tariffs, Mark Carney, trade war
• Japan, Gen X, labour market
• sieges, world history

Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—subscribe to The Economist.

Correction (August 26th): We originally published a version of this podcast stated that Japan's bubble era spanned the 1970s and 1980s. It was only the 1980s. Apologies for the error.

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