The Political Cycle

We're starting 2025 with a cheerful subject: the rise, and rise, of a new class of international oligarchs. With Elon Musk – the world's richest man and most pathological tweeter – dominating headlines in the UK, as well as the US, questions are emerging about undue influence from a minority of super-rich people. Why is Mr Musk pushing the King of England to dismiss Prime Minister Keir Starmer? And how do oligarchs, beyond the Tesla chief, exert their power around the world? Emily Tamkin, in Washington, Tom Hamilton, in London, and Rohan Venkat, in Delhi, discuss.Here are the Trike Recommendations from this episode:https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/30/us/politics/elon-musk-trump-mar-a-lago.html?smid=nytcore-android-sharehttps://slate.com/news-and-politics/2025/01/elon-musk-george-soros-biden-presidential-medal-freedom.htmlhttps://www.thetimes.com/article/0c1bbae8-cb04-45e8-acf9-8c420f264d82?shareToken=c02533f9c71249c53ca4adc156b57f4dhttps://www.ft.com/content/cfbfa1e8-d8f8-42b9-b74c-dae6cc6185a0https://www.newslaundry.com/2025/01/06/endangered-and-unpaid-mukesh-chandrakars-life-symbolised-the-bastar-media-storySubscribe below to our contributors' Substacks:ET Write Home by Emily Tamkin (via Emily's Substack you can also listen to the PREMIUM version of the show)India Inside Out by Rohan VenkatDividing Lines by Tom HamiltonThe Political Tricycle is a Podot podcast.It's presented by Emily Tamkin, Tom Hamilton and Rohan Venkat.Executive Producer: Nick Hilton.For sales and advertising, email nick@podotpods.comTo watch a video version of the show, go to COOLER.NEWS

It's been: a year. 2024, the biggest election year in the history of democracy, is almost over. In this final episode of our year, Emily Tamkin, Rohan Venkat and Tom Hamilton look back at elections in the US, India and the UK, as well as the trends that have dominated global political currents, and ask whether 2024 has been quite as rough as it seems.Here are the Trike Recommendations from this episode (a special self-indulgence roster):Emily: https://newrepublic.com/article/186698/october-7-anniversary-american-jewry-broken-halfEmily: https://forward.com/opinion/675727/trump-antisemitism-america-democracy/Tom: https://thecritic.co.uk/issues/july-2024/keir-more-than-just-a-lucky-general/Tom: https://dividinglines.substack.com/p/shoddy-draftingRohan: https://casi.sas.upenn.edu/casi-election-conversations-2024Subscribe below to our contributors' Substacks:ET Write Home by Emily Tamkin (via Emily's Substack you can also listen to the PREMIUM version of the show)India Inside Out by Rohan VenkatDividing Lines by Tom HamiltonThe Political Tricycle is a Podot podcast.It's presented by Emily Tamkin, Tom Hamilton and Rohan Venkat.Executive Producer: Nick Hilton.For sales and advertising, email nick@podotpods.comTo watch a video version of the show, go to COOLER.NEWS

Recent events in Georgia and Romania have exposed, once again, the influence that Russia still exerts on the world. But while it's clear that Moscow wants Russia to be a major player on the world stage (once again), it's not entirely apparent how it expects to operate in this multipolar world. Are other superpowers willing to let Vladimir Putin meddle in democracy or will interference – as is the case in Romania – lead to the disintegration of confidence in the popular vote? Emily Tamkin, Tom Hamilton and Rohan Venkat discuss.Here are the Trike Recommendations from this episode:https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/hundreds-arrests-mysterious-beatings-georgia-cracks-down-pro-eu-protests-2024-12-11/https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cx2yl2zxrq1ohttps://vsquare.org/hungary-spying-eu-olaf-corruption-viktor-orban-intelligence/https://www.epw.in/journal/2024/48/general-elections-2024/oligarchisation-indias-democracy.html?check_logged_in=1Subscribe below to our contributors' Substacks:ET Write Home by Emily Tamkin (via Emily's Substack you can also listen to the PREMIUM version of the show)India Inside Out by Rohan VenkatDividing Lines by Tom HamiltonThe Political Tricycle is a Podot podcast.It's presented by Emily Tamkin, Tom Hamilton and Rohan Venkat.Executive Producer: Nick Hilton.For sales and advertising, email nick@podotpods.comTo watch a video version of the show, go to COOLER.NEWS

Overnight on Tuesday, South Korea descended into crisis. President Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law, which opposition leaders called "insurrection". Within a day, the threat of martial law was over, but President Yoon is now facing impeachment. How did things go so wrong, so quickly? Joining Emily Tamkin and Rohan Venkat is Steven Denney, a professor of Korean Studies at Leiden University. They discuss the situation on the Asian peninsula, as well as parallels around the world.Here are the Trike Recommendations from this episode:https://www.ft.com/content/88525828-50fc-4b32-b929-58f742c99d72https://thedigradio.com/Thawra/https://doi.org/10.1080/13510347.2023.2258082 https://doi.org/10.1177/00104140231178724 Subscribe below to our contributors' Substacks:ET Write Home by Emily Tamkin (via Emily's Substack you can also listen to the PREMIUM version of the show)India Inside Out by Rohan VenkatDividing Lines by Tom HamiltonThe Political Tricycle is a Podot podcast.It's presented by Emily Tamkin, Tom Hamilton and Rohan Venkat.Executive Producer: Nick Hilton.For sales and advertising, email nick@podotpods.comTo watch a video version of the show, go to COOLER.NEWS

In the UK, Rachel Reeves' first budget has led to significant unhappiness within the farming community, with thousands of farmers (and supporters like Jeremy Clarkson) marching on Downing Street. Is this just a matter of tax fairness or is Reeves jeopardising food security in an already precarious industry? Tom Hamilton gives the view from London and, with Emily Tamkin away for Thanksgiving, Rohan Venkat probes the situation and discusses how India has a long history of farmers proving an influential political caucus.Here are the Trike Recommendations from this episode:https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2024/nov/27/britain-farming-family-farm-inheritance-taxhttps://article-14.com/post/how-the-costs-of-the-adani-bribery-scandal-will-be-borne-by-india-s-electricity-consumers-may-increase-power-cuts--6741c1d1d3a18Subscribe below to our contributors' Substacks:ET Write Home by Emily Tamkin (via Emily's Substack you can also listen to the PREMIUM version of the show)India Inside Out by Rohan VenkatDividing Lines by Tom HamiltonThe Political Tricycle is a Podot podcast.It's presented by Emily Tamkin, Tom Hamilton and Rohan Venkat.Executive Producer: Nick Hilton.For sales and advertising, email nick@podotpods.comTo watch a video version of the show, go to COOLER.NEWS

In India, the Supreme Court ruled that "bulldozer justice" is illegal – forcing the BJP to come to terms with a flailing justice system. But it's not just India that is struggling with the question of due process: in the US, following the re-election of Donald Trump, people are gearing up for the controversial ignition of a mass deportation programme, and in the UK the courts system continues to struggle with horrific backlogs. As ever, Rohan Venkat, Tom Hamilton and Emily Tamkin discuss.Here are the Trike Recommendations from this episode:https://denisebaron.substack.com/p/why-it-hurts-so-muchhttps://www.nbcnews.com/news/asian-america/trump-deportations-chinese-nationals-campaign-promise-rcna180212https://www.thenewsminute.com/karnataka/inside-bengalurus-kannadiga-vs-outsider-divideSubscribe below to our contributors' Substacks:ET Write Home by Emily Tamkin (via Emily's Substack you can also listen to the PREMIUM version of the show)India Inside Out by Rohan VenkatDividing Lines by Tom HamiltonThe Political Tricycle is a Podot podcast.It's presented by Emily Tamkin, Tom Hamilton and Rohan Venkat.Executive Producer: Nick Hilton.For sales and advertising, email nick@podotpods.comTo watch a video version of the show, go to COOLER.NEWS