Menu
Podcasts
Podcasts
Description
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the system that flourished from 1870 when gold became dominant and more widely available, following gold rushes in California and Australia. Banknotes could be exchanged for gold at central banks, the coins in circulation could be gold (as with the sovereign in the image above, initially worth £1), gold could be freely imported and exported, and many national currencies around the world were tied to gold and so to each other. The idea began in Britain, where sterling was seen as good as gold, and when other countries rushed to the Gold Standard the confidence in their currencies grew, and world trade took off and, for a century, gold was seen as a vital component of the world economy, supporting stability and confidence. The system came with constraints on government ability to respond to economic crises, though, and has been blamed for deepening and prolonging the Great Depression of the 1930s.
With
Catherine Schenk Professor of Economic and Social History at the University of Oxford
Helen Paul Lecturer in Economics and Economic History at the University of Southampton
And
Matthias Morys Senior Lecturer in Economic History at the University of York
Produced by Eliane Glaser and Simon Tillotson
What does President Trump plan to do with Venezuela’s oil?
NPR
President Trump says he plans to control revenue f....
Emily Dickinson (Archive Episode)
BBC Sounds
To celebrate Melvyn Bragg’s 27 years presenting ....
Supreme Court poised to rule on tariffs, birthright citizenship and more
NPR
The Supreme Court is expected to rule this year on....
Jan. 6, 2021: Five Years Later
NPR
Five years ago, a mob attacked the United States C....
How Do Trump’s Actions In Venezuela Square With MAGA And ‘America First’?
NPR
President Trump campaigned on promises to put “A....
Trump Says The U.S. Will 'Run' Venezuela After Capturing Maduro
NPR
Overnight, the U.S. military launched strikes on V....
U.S. foreign aid changed in 2025 – and it was felt around the world
NPR
On the night of his inauguration, President Trump ....
Welcome to the NPR Washington Desk
NPR
Happy New Year! In this special episode, the Polit....
Shakespeare's Sonnets (Archive Episode)
BBC Sounds
To celebrate Melvyn Bragg’s 27 years presenting ....
The Annual Can't Let It Go Year End Extravaganza
NPR
We look back on some of the highlights from 2025 w....
Year In Review: The Impact Of Project 2025
NPR
As we approach 2026, the NPR Politics Podcast is t....
Year In Review: Trump's Immigration Policy
NPR
As we approach 2026, the NPR Politics Podcast is t....
Year In Review: Trump's Foreign Policy
NPR
Editor's note: This episode originally aired on De....
Year In Review: Trump’s Environmental Policy
NPR
As we approach 2026, the NPR Politics Podcast is t....
Margery Kempe and English Mysticism (Archive Episode)
BBC Sounds
To celebrate Melvyn Bragg’s 27 years presenting ....
Year In Review: Trump, Gerrymandering & Redistricting
NPR
As we approach 2026, the NPR Politics Podcast is t....
Year In Review: Trump's Economy
NPR
As we approach 2026, the NPR Politics Podcast is t....
Year In Review: Congress' Successes & Failures
NPR
As we approach 2026, the NPR Politics Podcast is t....
Roundup: Congress Skips Town Without ACA Vote, Trump Reclassifies Cannabis
NPR
It was another busy week in Washington. We discuss....
Trump Uses Prime-Time Speech To Blame Biden, Immigrants For Economy Woes
NPR
President Trump used his prime-time speech Wednesd....
Eclipses (Archive Episode)
BBC Sounds
To celebrate Melvyn Bragg’s 27 years presenting ....
Americans Give Trump Low Marks On The Economy In New Poll
NPR
Only 36% of Americans approve of President Trump�....
Year In Review: Trump's Foreign Policy
NPR
As we approach 2026, the NPR Politics Podcast is t....
Donald Trump Is Sports-Fan-In-Chief
NPR
President Trump has built a brand as the sports-fa....