Uploaded January 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 days ago
In this episode, we discuss public distrust of politicians and the realities behind presidential approval polling before turning to the math of lotteries and why people continue to play despite the odds. We examine Maryland’s proposed reparations commission, including questions of eligibility, funding, legal responsibility, and the practical challenges of tying modern policy to historical injustice. We’re joined by Phil Magness to explore the economic history of slavery, the claim that capitalism was built on slave labor, and why slavery is fundamentally incompatible with free markets. We cover Adam Smith’s opposition to slavery, misconceptions about profit incentives, the global history of forced labor, and the moral and economic failures surrounding emancipation, closing with a broader discussion of capitalism, socialism, and historical accountability.
00:00 Introduction and Overview
00:44 Presidential Approval Ratings and Polling Reality
02:38 Why Americans Have Always Hated Politicians
03:35 Powerball, Probability, and the Math of Dreaming
06:51 Maryland’s Reparations Commission Explained
08:12 Who Pays and Who Gets Reparations?
10:03 Mitigation, Law, and the Reparations Problem
14:24 Introducing Phil Magness
15:02 Was Capitalism Built on Slavery?
17:59 Slavery as an Ancient Institution
19:50 Adam Smith’s Case Against Slavery
23:05 Why Slavery Is Anti-Capitalist
24:50 Pro-Slavery Economics and Feudalism
26:16 Founding Fathers, Hypocrisy, and Moral Failure
30:21 Slavery’s Global History and Misconceptions
32:06 Incentives, Profit, and Economic Naivety
34:53 Would Slavery Have Ended Without the Civil War?
37:59 Gradual Emancipation and Historical Alternatives
40:47 Socialism, Capitalism, and the Plantation Model
44:01 Final Reflections and Closing Thoughts
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Join CiVL and get member-exclusive access to Ant & James as well other remarkable individuals building the future: civl.com
CiVL is a streaming platform for podcasts, visionary talks, debates, and documentaries.
Get the book by Ant & James:
Get Your Copy of Cooperation and Coercion Now!
cooperationandcoercion.com
Antony Davies on X
https://x.com/antonydavies
James R. Harrigan on X
https://x.com/JamesRHarrigan
In this episode, we discuss public distrust of politicians and the realities behind presidential approval polling before turning to the math of lotteries and why people continue to play despite the odds. We examine Maryland’s proposed reparations commission, including questions of eligibility, funding, legal responsibility, and the practical challenges of tying modern policy to historical injustice. We’re joined by Phil Magness to explore the economic history of slavery, the claim that capitalism was built on slave labor, and why slavery is fundamentally incompatible with free markets. We cover Adam Smith’s opposition to slavery, misconceptions about profit incentives, the global history of forced labor, and the moral and economic failures surrounding emancipation, closing with a broader discussion of capitalism, socialism, and historical accountability.
00:00 Introduction and Overview
00:44 Presidential Approval Ratings and Polling Reality
02:38 Why Americans Have Always Hated Politicians
03:35 Powerball, Probability, and the Math of Dreaming
06:51 Maryland’s Reparations Commission Explained
08:12 Who Pays and Who Gets Reparations?
10:03 Mitigation, Law, and the Reparations Problem
14:24 Introducing Phil Magness
15:02 Was Capitalism Built on Slavery?
17:59 Slavery as an Ancient Institution
19:50 Adam Smith’s Case Against Slavery
23:05 Why Slavery Is Anti-Capitalist
24:50 Pro-Slavery Economics and Feudalism
26:16 Founding Fathers, Hypocrisy, and Moral Failure
30:21 Slavery’s Global History and Misconceptions
32:06 Incentives, Profit, and Economic Naivety
34:53 Would Slavery Have Ended Without the Civil War?
37:59 Gradual Emancipation and Historical Alternatives
40:47 Socialism, Capitalism, and the Plantation Model
44:01 Final Reflections and Closing Thoughts
- -
Join CiVL and get member-exclusive access to Ant & James as well other remarkable individuals building the future: civl.com
CiVL is a streaming platform for podcasts, visionary talks, debates, and documentaries.
Get the book by Ant & James:
Get Your Copy of Cooperation and Coercion Now!
cooperationandcoercion.com
Antony Davies on X
https://x.com/antonydavies
James R. Harrigan on X
https://x.com/JamesRHarrigan
