About this episode

The episode discusses two interrelated crises in international political economy, focusing on China's export-led competition and the impact of the war on Iran on global food supply chains.

We dig into two shocks in international political economy that are each on their way to being complex, interrelated crises. First, the unsustainable system of export-led “bottomless competition" in China that is dominating — and disrupting — global markets for advanced manufacturing and high-tech goods thanks to hyper-competitive pressure, diminishing returns, vertical integration, hefty subsidies, and other industrial / policy dynamics. Second, a surprising-to-many effect of the war on Iran: Gulf states are major producers and distributors of synthetic fertilizers which are used for agriculture in large parts of Africa and Southeast Asia. Those supply chains are now disrupted which is causing hunger and coming famines in large parts of the world. ••• China shock 2.0: the flood of high-tech goods that will change the world https://www.ft.com/content/7d51a630-a3de-4cc7-9f5f-0f3e7f0d305a?syn-25a6b1a6=1 ••• The coming global food crisis https://www.ft.com/content/7d51a630-a3de-4cc7-9f5f-0f3e7f0d305a?syn-25a6b1a6=1 Standing Plugs: ••• Order Jathan’s book: https://www.ucpress.edu/book/9780520398078/the-mechanic-and-the-luddite ••• Subscribe to Ed’s substack…

People in this episode

Hosts: Jathan Sadowski, Edward Ongweso Jr.

Topics covered

• international political economy
• export-led competition
• global markets
• high-tech goods
• food crisis
• supply chain disruption

Keywords

• China
• global markets
• high-tech goods
• food crisis
• synthetic fertilizers
• supply chain
• Iran

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: China, Gulf states, FT

Products: synthetic fertilizers

Places: Africa, Southeast Asia

More episodes of This Machine Kills

• 453. Super “Intelligent” Industrial Policy · April 14, 2026 · 1h 41m
• Patreon Preview – 452. Lady Luck is the World Spirit · April 8, 2026 · 7 min
• 451. Do Not Become Addicted to Electrons (ft. Tim Sahay, Kate Mackenzie) · April 1, 2026 · 1h 19m
• Patreon Preview – 450. Sorry Grandma, Computer Says Die · March 25, 2026 · 6 min
• 449. Efficiently Drowning in Work · March 17, 2026 · 1h 17m
• Patreon Preview – 448. Dubai’s Golden Dome Crumbles · March 10, 2026 · 6 min

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the This Machine Kills podcast page.