Category Archives: Radio Show

A casual material history of the United States from Bill, Rachel, and guests. Recorded twice weekly in Newton, Massachusetts.

May 17, 2020 – The Early US Oil Industry, Part 4 (Are Monopolies Bad?) – Arsenal For Democracy Ep. 308

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Description: Beyond “natural monopolies,” the second industrial revolution beginning in the 1870s probably required the formation of monopolies like Standard Oil, but did those monopolies have to be in private hands? Bill and Rachel investigate.

Links and notes for ep. 308 (PDF): http://arsenalfordemocracy.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/AFD-308-Links-Notes-Part-4_-The-Early-US-Oil-Industry-Part-4-Are-Monopolies-Bad_.pdf

Theme music by Stunt Bird.

See also: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3.

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May 10, 2020 – The Early US Oil Industry, Part 3 (Rail Rate Wars) – Arsenal For Democracy Ep. 307

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Description: Rachel and Bill discuss the railroad shipping rate discount wars of the 1870s northeastern United States and their role in the rise of Standard Oil. (See also part 1 and part 2.)

Links and notes for ep. 307 (PDF): http://arsenalfordemocracy.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/AFD-307-Links-and-Notes-Part-3_-Understanding-Rail-Price-Wars.pdf

Theme music by Stunt Bird.

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May 3, 2020 – The Early US Oil Industry, Part 2 (Rise of Standard Oil) – Arsenal For Democracy Ep. 306

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Description: Rachel and Bill explain how Rockefeller pushed his way to the top position in the early U.S. oil industry in the early 1870s and began to form a monopoly. (This episode is a continuation of the narrative in part 1.)

Links and Notes for Ep. 306 (PDF): http://arsenalfordemocracy.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/AFD-306-Links-and-Notes-Part-2_-The-Rise-of-Standard-Oil.pdf

Theme music by Stunt Bird.

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Apr 26, 2020 – The Early US Oil Industry, Part 1 – Arsenal For Democracy Ep. 305

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Description: With crude oil prices crashing into the negatives for the first time ever, Rachel and Bill go back to the industry’s volatile beginning — the Pennsylvania oil rush.

AFD 305 Links and Notes (PDF): http://arsenalfordemocracy.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/AFD-305-Links-and-Notes-Part-1_-The-Early-US-Oil-Industry.pdf

Theme music by Stunt Bird.

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Apr 19, 2020 – Interstate Compacts, Revisited – Arsenal For Democracy Ep. 304

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Description: Bill and Rachel discuss why coronavirus pandemic coordination between governors is not technically an “interstate compact” and what the 19th century Supreme Court said about interstate disease control.

AFD Ep. 304 Links and Notes (PDF): http://arsenalfordemocracy.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/AFD-304-Links-and-Notes-Interstate-Compacts-Revisited.pdf

Return to episode 92 from July 2014: http://arsenalfordemocracy.com/2014/07/16/july-16-2014-arsenal-for-democracy-92/

Original theme music by Stunt Bird.

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April 12, 2020 – Hospital Economics – Arsenal For Democracy Ep. 303

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Description: What the coronavirus pandemic highlights about the problems of privatized and semi-privatized healthcare, especially in the management and operation of hospitals. Greg, Rachel, Bill.

Ep. 303 Links & Notes: http://arsenalfordemocracy.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/AFD-Ep-303-Links-and-Notes-Hospital-economics.pdf

Theme music by Stunt Bird.

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Mar 29, 2020 – Bring to Birth a New World from the Ashes of the Old – Arsenal For Democracy Ep. 302 EXTENDED

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In this extended episode, Bill and Rachel discuss the failure of market liberal democracies to prevent or respond to the pandemic adequately and how the overnight unique economic collapse is forcing employers and employees alike to rethink how we organize our society.

Links and notes for ep 302 (PDF): http://arsenalfordemocracy.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Ep-302-Links-and-Notes-Bring-to-Birth-A-New-World-From-the-Ashes-of-the-Old.pdf

Return to Lend-Lease 20: Climate Change and the End of Liberal World as We Know It. External podcast episodes referenced this week: Trashfuture Season 3 Premiere Line Go Stop; Trillbilly Workers Party 139 Trial Balloon for a Climate Disaster.

Opening theme music by Stunt Bird. Closing music this week is “Solidarity Forever.”

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