Pregnant pause: India’s slumping fertility

Tocqueville Road Trip: 2. Against all obstacles

Tocqueville saw America’s faith in its own democracy as a vital force. But these days the majority of Americans think the country is headed in the wrong direction. Can a group of maximum security prisoners in Sing Sing offer a vision of how to get back on track? Guests and Hosts * John Prideaux, The Economist’s US Editor * Sean Pica, executive director of Hudson Link for Higher Education in Prison  * Jean Frantz, prisoner at Sing Sing Correctional Facility  Topics  * Alexis de Tocqueville’s views on voluntary associations * Sing Sing prison education programme * Prisoners’ views on the American dream  To listen to the full series, subscribe to Economist Podcasts+ [https://subscribenow.economist.com/podcasts-plus] If you’re already a subscriber to The Economist, you have full access to all our shows as part of your subscription. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs [https://myaccount.economist.com/s/article/What-is-Economist-Podcasts] page or watch our video [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gczo71bg1uY] explaining how to link your account. ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

Tocqueville Road Trip: 1. Game of chance

John Prideaux, The Economist’s US Editor, embarks on a roadtrip to see how America’s democracy is faring in the era of Trump.  His companion is a long-dead French aristocrat called Alexis De Tocqueville, author of arguably the best book ever written about America.  When Tocqueville arrived in New York in 1831, it was a small, low-slung city where pigs roamed the streets. But he was able to see past that—to a vision of the future. Arriving in Manhattan today, John finds cause for concern, even among the island’s wealthiest residents.  Guests and Hosts * John Prideaux, The Economist’s US Editor * Babara Tober, Philanthropist and former Editor of Brides magazine * John Catsimatidis, CEO of Red Apple Group Topics  * Alexis de Tocqueville’s Democracy in America * ‘Equality of conditions’ at 250 * The election of Zohran Mamdani * Declining faith in American democracy To listen to the full series, subscribe to Economist Podcasts+ [https://subscribenow.economist.com/podcasts-plus]. If you’re already a subscriber to The Economist, you have full access to all our shows as part of your subscription. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs [https://myaccount.economist.com/s/article/What-is-Economist-Podcasts] page or watch our video [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gczo71bg1uY] explaining how to link your account. ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

Quid game: challenges for South Korea’s president

An interview with Lee Jae Myung [https://www.economist.com/asia/2026/06/10/an-interview-with-south-koreas-president?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners], South Korea’s president, a year into his role. Though he has stabilised a turbulent polity and overseen a stock market rally, the path ahead may be bumpy. Can India’s cockroach party [https://www.economist.com/asia/2026/06/11/can-indias-cockroach-party-become-a-political-movement?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners] become a powerful political movement? And celebrating the creator of “Persepolis”, Marjane Satrapi [https://www.economist.com/obituary/2026/06/11/marjane-satrapi-set-out-to-correct-the-wests-views-of-iran?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners].  Watch extended clips from Insider here [https://www.economist.com/interactive/insider/previews?utm_campaign=a.brand_fy2627_q1_awareness-imp-tr_prospecting_global-global_direct_na&utm_medium=audio.podcast.pd&utm_source=economist&utm_content=discovery.awareness.anonymous.tr_nativeread_np-tiinsider-apr_na-na_web_na_na_na_na&utm_term=sa.arc-isi] Guests and host: * Noah Sneider, East Asia bureau chief * Tom Sasse, South Asia bureau chief * Ann Wroe, obituaries editor * Rosie Blau, host of “The Intelligence” Topics covered:  * South Korea, Lee Jae Myung, North Korea * Cockroach party, Narendra Modi, Gen-Z protests * Marjane Satrapi, Iran, Persepolis Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—Subscribe to Economist Podcasts+ [https://subscribenow.economist.com/podcasts-plus] For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page [https://myaccount.economist.com/s/article/What-is-Economist-Podcasts] or watch our video [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gczo71bg1uY] explaining how to link your account.  ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

2. Against all obstacles

Tocqueville saw America’s faith in its own democracy as a vital force. But these days the majority of Americans think the country is headed in the wrong direction. Can a group of maximum security prisoners in Sing Sing offer a vision of how to get back on track? Guests and Hosts * John Prideaux, The Economist’s US Editor * Sean Pica, executive director of Hudson Link for Higher Education in Prison  * Jean Frantz, prisoner at Sing Sing Correctional Facility  Topics  * Alexis de Tocqueville’s views on voluntary associations * Sing Sing prison education programme * Prisoners’ views on the American dream To listen to the full series, subscribe to Economist Podcasts+ [https://subscribenow.economist.com/podcasts-plus]. If you’re already a subscriber to The Economist, you have full access to all our shows as part of your subscription. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs [https://myaccount.economist.com/s/article/What-is-Economist-Podcasts] page or watch our video [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gczo71bg1uY] explaining how to link your account. ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

1. Game of chance

John Prideaux, The Economist’s US Editor, embarks on a roadtrip to see how America’s democracy is faring in the era of Trump.  His companion is a long-dead French aristocrat called Alexis De Tocqueville, author of arguably the best book ever written about America.  When Tocqueville arrived in New York in 1831, it was a small, low-slung city where pigs roamed the streets. But he was able to see past that—to a vision of the future. Arriving in Manhattan today, John finds cause for concern, even among the island’s wealthiest residents.  Guests and Hosts * John Prideaux, The Economist’s US Editor * Babara Tober, Philanthropist and former Editor of Brides magazine * John Catsimatidis, CEO of Red Apple Group Topics  * Alexis de Tocqueville’s Democracy in America * ‘Equality of conditions’ at 250 * The election of Zohran Mamdani * Declining faith in American democracy To listen to the full series, subscribe to Economist Podcasts+ [https://subscribenow.economist.com/podcasts-plus]. If you’re already a subscriber to The Economist, you have full access to all our shows as part of your subscription. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs [https://myaccount.economist.com/s/article/What-is-Economist-Podcasts] page or watch our video [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gczo71bg1uY] explaining how to link your account. ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.