1929: The Great Depression • 2009 • episode "S1E2" • 1929

51:51

In recent years, the Netherlands and Belgium have become major drug trafficking hubs in Europe, with almost 80 percent of the continent's cocaine passing through Rotterdam or Antwerp. This has led to the rise of the "Mocro Mafia," criminal networks of Dutch people of Moroccan origin. These gangs began by trafficking hashish from Morocco but now use the same routes for the more profitable cocaine trade, sourced from Latin American cartels. Consequently, the "Mocro Mafia" has become one of the world's richest criminal organizations, generating an estimated fifty billion euros annually in Antwerp alone—10 percent of Belgium's budget. The violent "Mocro Mafia" gangs have unleashed a reign of terror. They kill lawyers, magistrates, journalists, all without a second thought. They have even threatened government ministers in Belgium and the Netherlands. Anyone who challenges their network is a potential target. The drug money is so pervasive within the economy that, according to some, Belgium and the Netherlands risk becoming narco-states. This threat has been taken very seriously by the authorities and the police. Public anxiety rose even further after the horrifying discovery of a torture chamber in a shipping container used as an 'underworld prison' by the gangs, as well as the murder of journalist Peter de Vries. We investigate the "Mocro Mafia," the new ultra-violent criminal organisation which is shaking Europe.

2022 • Economics

58:48

The federal welfare state controlled American capitalism until the 1973 oil crisis and recession, which led to the election of the ultra-liberal Ronald Reagan. At the dawn of the computer revolution, a generation of entrepreneurs, including Bill Gates and Steve Jobs, emerged in Silicon Valley around Stanford University, which combined public and private research.

S1E3 • American Capitalism – The Cult of Wealth • 2023 • Economics

56:16

Paul Saffo looks at the development of the US economy through the 20th and into the 21st century. What are the trends that have shaped the economy? How are innovations in technology and communications making the 21st century an entirely different landscape for producers and consumers?

S1E6 • Curiosity Retreats: 2015 Lectures • 2015 • Economics

25:37

The ever-enthusiastic Jeff Goldblum takes viewers on a tasty ride through ice cream's history. Jeff meets Ben & Jerry, and discovers the link between food and nostalgia onboard a US Navy aircraft carrier.

S1E2 • The World According to Jeff Goldblum • 2020 • Economics

99:57

Cullen Hoback investigates the origins of Bitcoin and its anonymous creator Satoshi Nakamoto, exploring the potential of this cryptocurrency on the global financial system and who could hold immense power if it became mainstream.

2024 • Economics

22:57

Retiring comfortably middle-class in America requires more than $1 million in savings. How did the dream of golden years leisure get so out of reach?

S1E5 • Money Explained • 2011 • Economics