This Econ 102 podcast features an interview with Patrick Collison, CEO of Stripe, discussing the US's technological leadership and economic policy. The conversation begins by examining the US's relatively stagnant GDP per capita growth compared to the rest of the world since 1990, then shifts to a discussion of labor productivity differences between the US and other OECD countries, attributing the US's higher productivity to factors like flexible labor markets and non-bank lending. The interview concludes with Collison and Smith's perspectives on the future of progressive politics and their policy prescriptions, including streamlining NEPA, implementing national zoning, and increasing science spending. A key takeaway is the suggestion that the US's superior labor allocative efficiency significantly contributes to its economic outperformance.
