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633. The Most Powerful People You’ve Never Heard Of

2025/5/23

Freakonomics Radio

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People

Jack Farchi

Javier Blas

Topics

Jack Farchi: 我发现要理解政治，必须理解资金的流向，而商品是重要的资金来源。许多时候，资金就是商品，因为商品是全球贸易和利润的重要来源。许多交易不公开，为了解经济运作提供了一个秘密窗口。商品交易公司在新闻背后有很多故事，他们并非总是幕后推手，但他们经常参与其中。在地缘政治转变中，商品交易员总是最先出现。 Javier Blas: 我认为商品交易员与金融工具交易员截然不同。大部分商品交易员并不关心价格的涨跌。大宗商品贸易商可以代表大型咖啡烘焙商采购咖啡，他们负责采购、运输咖啡，有时还负责融资。令人困惑的是，关于商品交易行业没有一本权威书籍。行业保密和缺乏兴趣是此前没有相关书籍的原因。我们决定自己写一本关于商品交易的书。

Deep Dive

Chapters

This chapter introduces the book "The World for Sale" and its central figures: commodity traders who operate in the shadows of global political and economic events. It highlights their involvement in high-stakes deals and their influence on geopolitical situations.

Introduction of the book "The World for Sale"
Commodity traders' high-stakes operations
Traders' involvement in civil wars and coups

Shownotes Transcript

Just beneath the surface of the global economy, there is a hidden layer of dealmakers for whom war, chaos, and sanctions can be a great business opportunity. Javier Blas and Jack Farchy, the authors of The World for Sale, help us shine a light on the shadowy realm of commodity traders.

SOURCES:
Javier Blas), opinion columnist at Bloomberg News.
Jack Farchy), energy and commodities senior reporter at Bloomberg News.
RESOURCES:
The World For Sale: Money, Power, and the Traders Who Barter the Earth's Resources)*, *by Javier Blas and Jack Farchy (2021)
The King of Oil: The Secret Lives of Marc Rich)*, *by Daniel Ammann (2010).
EXTRAS:
"How the Supermarket Helped America Win the Cold War (Update))" by *Freakonomics Radio *(2024).
"The First Great American Industry)," by *Freakonomics Radio *(2023).

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633. The Most Powerful People You’ve Never Heard Of