Podcast
GoodFellows: Conversations on Economics, History & Geopolitics
Hosted by Hoover Institution · EN
GoodFellows: Conversations on Economics, History, & Geopolitics is a flagship videocast from the Hoover Institution where senior fellows John Cochrane, Niall Ferguson, and H.R. McMaster cut through the noise, challenge conventional wisdom, and explain what’s driving markets, power, and public policy. Drawing on rigorous economic analysis, deep historical perspective, and national security leadership at the highest levels, these leading thinkers deliver clear, trusted insight into the challenges facing the United States while debating the forces shaping the modern world.
34episodes
Episodes
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Call Him Daddy: Assessing America’s Strike On Iran | GoodFellows | Hoover Institution
Jun 27, 202500:32:25Summary readyUS forces launched bomb and missile strikes against Iranian nuclear facilities, followed soon by an Iran-Israel ceasefire and the beginning of what could be a diplomatic realignment across the Middle East. The GoodFellows regulars and Hoover Senior Fellows Niall Ferguson, John Cochrane, and former White House National Security Advisor H.R. McMaster discuss the collateral impact of the Trump administration’s move against the Iranian regime. The fallout includes: a possible expansion of Abraham Accords participants (as the Gulf States help Iran pursue a more peaceful nuclear program); NATO members willing to invest more in military readiness; the media’s second-guessing the effectiveness and wisdom of the B2 sorties; plus what message Trump’s use of military might—as opposed to revolving-door diplomacy—sends to the world’s various mischief-making capitals (Beijing, Moscow, and Pyongyang). Recorded on June 27, 2025.
Summary“That’s Not Gonna Happen:” Israel Aims to Destroy Iran’s Nuclear Program | GoodFellows | Hoover Institution
Jun 16, 202500:39:22Summary readyIsrael launches air attacks intended to destroy Iranian nuclear and ballistic missile capabilities, Iran retaliates with missile strikes on Israeli cities, and the world waits to see what comes next – a return to the status quo, neighboring countries drawn into the conflict, or an end to the Iranian theocracy? GoodFellows regulars and Hoover senior fellows Sir Niall Ferguson and former White House national security advisor Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster discuss whether the Israeli goal of ending Iran’s nuclear ambitions is possible without U.S. assistance, how President Trump might respond if asked to directly engage, if the conflict will expand beyond the present bilateral exchanges, plus the outcome of regime change in a culturally diverse Iran (a peaceful transition or Libya 2.0?). After that: in honor of the 250th birthday of the United States Army, H.R. shares the thoughts of a fellow American general tasked with winning a war for liberty.
SummaryCaveman Marxists: Frank Dikötter on Whether China Is a Fiery Dragon or a Paper Tiger | GoodFellows | Hoover Institution
May 27, 202501:05:34Summary readyIs China hell-bent on a move against Taiwan, or does its saber-rattling not square with a military capability that’s perhaps overestimated? Frank Dikötter, a Hoover senior fellow specializing in the history of modern China, joins Hoover senior fellows Niall Ferguson, John Cochrane, and Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster to discuss his reading of China’s desire and ability to project power, including its manufacturing capability and its suppression of individual liberties, plus the durability of Xi Jinping’s rule. Recorded on May 23, 2025.
SummaryThe Plane Truth: Playing Chicken with China, Trump Goes Gulf-ing, Tensions in South Asia
May 15, 202501:02:55Summary readyAmerica and China take a 90-day time-out in their dispute over tariffs; President Trump’s tour of the Middle East—the first overseas trip of his second term—raises unsettling questions about both his regional strategy and his family’s business dealings; and hostilities between nuclear-armed India and Pakistan raise questions of behind-the-scenes great-power machinations amidst “Cold War 2.” Hoover senior fellows Niall Ferguson, John Cochrane, and Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster discuss what’s at stake in these various parts of the globe. After that: the three fellows debate the severity of Chinese espionage in America’s universities; and how AI’s ability to shortcut the learning process will impact the future of higher education. Recorded on May 14, 2025.
Summary