Westeros: the fictional nation that is home to a majority of the story of Game of Thrones, an ongoing book series, and wildly popular TV show.

For the sake of this episode, we'll attempt to put to the side that Westeros is very obviously middle ages England and Essos (the other land featured prominently in the story) is based on Europe and Mediterranean nations around the turn of the renascence.

This was obviously an inspiration for George RR Martin, but the writer has gone beyond that and interlaced curiosities from many historic economies into a world that adds a layer of complexity and realism that isn’t present in typical fantasy stories of the genre.

So, let's explore how they work together and add to the narrative that drives The Game of Thrones.

Switzerland, an extremely beautiful landlocked country in the heart of Europe, this picturesque nation is home to one of the most advanced economies in the world. When ignoring micronations like Monaco or Lichtenstein, Switzerland is one of only two countries in the world that has a nominal GDP above $80,000 USD per capita.

The Swiss are a little bit different though, other wealthy nations like Norway were typically blessed by a treasure trove of natural resources Switzerland did not have this. It was also lacking a lot of other key ingredients that contribute heavily to most successful countries, it did not have open access to an ocean for international trade, it did not have a particularly competitive cheap labor market, it did not have terrain that made building productive infrastructure particularly easy and it didn’t even have a population that could agree on what language to speak.

So what was its secret then, how did this nation obtain such tremendous wealth while seemingly been at such a huge disadvantage. In this episode, we will attempt to find out by looking beyond just the simple facts and figures that make for strong economies.

This is Andrew Yang: a tech entrepreneur and a bit of a surprise underdog democratic candidate for the U.S. presidency.

And while it's true that this podcast avoids politics at all costs, India Economics is not politically advocating for (or against) Andrew Yang or any of the other candidates discussed between now and the 2020 election. And we'll not be looking at Yang as a candidate beyond his economic policies.

Runescape: one of the oldest and most involved massively multiplayer online role-playing games in existence.

The game has been played by millions around the world but for those of you familiar to the channel you know we are not here for the gameplay or the mad early 2000’s style graphics, we are here for the economy.

And oh boy does Runescape have an amazing economy.

In this episode, we'll explore the nuances of this economy and also look at an academic paper submitted by a channel viewer on this incredible virtual economy. Enjoy!

India is soon to be home to the largest population of citizens on the planet. And as of 2014, the nation will also hold the title of the fastest-growing major economy in the world (stealing the title from the slower-growing economy of China).

This country has had an amazing journey to get to where it is today. And with the right political governance, it's very likely to become one of the world's most powerful economies very soon. But, it's not quite there yet. And in GDP terms, India's collective economy is still smaller than that of California.

And while poverty is a very prevalent problem, India's certainly on the up and up. Throughout the past two decades, it has seen unbelievable levels of growth that has, among other things, pulled hundreds of millions of its citizens out of poverty.

Monaco is the wealthiest nation in the world per capita. It's also the country with by far the highest average age of citizens. It has the highest cost of land of any country in the world, it pretty much breaks any kind of list you want to make ranking countries cause you can pretty much bet that this 2 square kilometer spit of land off the south of France is going to win any economic top ten list out there.

So, what is really going on with the economy of Monaco?

Most people know it as a playground for the rich and famous, a parking garage for superyachts, a glorified formula 1 track, a country built around a casino, and above all else, a tax haven. But is this criticism really fair? ... let's explore in today's episode!

North Korea, the most closed-off country on earth. This Asian nation is often the center of intense scrutiny for its aggressive displays of militarism, its internationally condemned nuclear program, and of course its oppressive government dictatorship. A 2014 report by the united nations concluded that the gravity, scale, and nature of these human rights violations does not have any parallel In the contemporary world. What they are ashamed of though, is something that all these media spectacles help to distract from and that is their incredibly small and pathetic economy.

Beyond the dramatic chest-beating and despite all of the opportunities this country has been given it has dwindled into complete economic obscurity and in this video we are going to explore why.

An explainer on how the moneylender is back on the prowl once again.

Multi-Level-Marketing (MLM) companies are big businesses around the world and they have rightfully attracted much criticism for questionable business practice. Many have called them illegal pyramid schemes, but today these companies continue to operate in most developed countries around the world and rake in billions of dollars in profit in any given year all with the blessing of local trade authorities.

So, what are these businesses? Let's park personal opinions on how annoying it is to be roped into one of these MLM meetings for the moment and assess the fundamental economics behind this business model.

This is Star Citizen: possibly the most ambitious virtual world in video game history.

Star Citizens' story has been that of bold ambition, record-breaking community support, and yes ... even a bit of good old-fashioned frustration.

In this episode, we'll explore crowdfunding, the video game industry, and a project that may prove to be the greatest video game in history. Enjoy!