Arsenal for Democracy

The 4th part of our miniseries on money itself during the 2nd Industrial Revolution in the US. Bill and Rachel look at the political battles over silver coinage and the gold standard and why neither position makes sense in hindsight. Links and noted for Ep. 398 (PDF): http://arsenalfordemocracy.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/American-Money-Part-IV_-The-Cross-of-Gold-Arsenal-For-Democracy-Ep-398.pdf Theme music … Read more

The 3rd part of our miniseries on money itself during the 2nd Industrial Revolution in the US. Bill, Rachel, and Kelley look at the initial emergence of proto-consumer credit as well as sketchy and predatory small loans in industrial cities. Links and notes for Ep. 397 (PDF): http://arsenalfordemocracy.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/American-Money-Part-III_-Store-Credit-Installments-and-Shadow-Lending-Arsenal-For-Democracy-Ep-397.pdf Theme music … Read more

The first episode of our miniseries on money itself during the Second Industrial Revolution in the United States. Bill and Rachel pose philosophical questions on the nature of money and look at changes in US monetary policy from the Antebellum period through 1876. Links and notes for Ep. 396 (PDF): … Read more

[Unlocked] During WWI, a Chicago ad man pitched the Bureau of Investigation on a volunteer secret police, which grew to nearly 300,000 unpaid agents and foreshadowed strategies of the later US intelligence state. Friend of the show Ben aka @housetrotter joins Bill and Rachel to discuss. Links and notes for … Read more

In September 1921, the first fast food restaurant (White Castle) was launched, taking inspiration from the Hygiene Movement. Guest John Leavitt (@LeavittAlone) joins Bill, Kelley, and Rachel to talk about this and Automats and to imagine a different future for restaurants. Links and notes for Ep. 395 (PDF): http://arsenalfordemocracy.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/AFD-Ep-395-Links-and-Notes-September-1921_-Fast-Food-White-Castle-with-guest-John-Leavitt.pdf Theme … Read more

Description: One hundred years ago this week, the Battle of Blair Mountain was in full swing in West Virginia as thousands of heavily armed union miners fought dug-in pro-owner militias. Bill and Rachel examine. Links and notes for Ep. 394 (PDF): http://arsenalfordemocracy.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/AFD-Ep-394-Links-and-Notes-August-1921-Centennial-Battle-of-Blair-Mountain.pdf Theme music by Stunt Bird.

Description: Bill, Kelley, and Rachel discuss Franklin D. Roosevelt’s career before his paralysis in August 1921 and how he dealt with his lifelong disability thereafter. Links and notes for Ep. 393: http://arsenalfordemocracy.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/AFD-Ep-393-Links-and-Notes-August-1921-FDR-becomes-paralyzed.pdf Theme music by Stunt Bird.

Unlocked from our Patreon for a vacation week. Bill and Rachel found the most amazing, still-active web 1.0 history website, and now we can tell you all about the sweeping implications of the transatlantic telegraph cable of 1866. (Originally released April 2021.) Links and notes for Ep. 367 (PDF): http://arsenalfordemocracy.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Bonus-AFD-Ep-367-Links-and-Notes-The-Transatlantic-Telegraph-Cable.pdf … Read more

Description: Life in the big American city of the 19th century included an endless sea of horses, and it was not a very pleasant situation for anyone, including the horses. Bill, Rachel, and Kelley explore. Notes and links for Ep. 392 (PDF): http://arsenalfordemocracy.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/AFD-Ep-392-Links-and-Notes-Horse-Power.pdf Theme music by Stunt Bird.

Description: It took a while to figure out how to mass-produce glassware, given the complexity of it, but that had profound implications on the lives of American consumers and workers. Bill, Kelley, and Rachel discuss. (This is the Mason Jars episode, among other things.) Links and notes for Ep. 391 … Read more