logo
episode-header-image
Jul 2024
18m 46s

How Hawaii Became a Poor State Made For ...

Economics Explained
About this episode

Hawaii, the last state to join the USA, is renowned not just for its pivotal role in military operations and its allure as a top tourist destination, but also for its significant economic contributions on a global scale. Despite its modest size and remote location, the Hawaiian Islands boast an economic output that rivals entire countries like Bulgaria and Ecuador. This video delves into how Hawaii has carved out this economic niche, presenting a unique case study that challenges conventional measures of prosperity.


While for many, Hawaii represents the perfect surfing getaway or a strategic naval base, the reality for its residents is a daily life marked by unique economic challenges. The state grapples with some of the highest living costs in the world, lacking the high-paying jobs that usually justify such expenses. From costly day-to-day necessities influenced by its isolation and tourist appeal, to critical lapses in economic policy, this video examines the underlying issues that could be improved almost immediately—if there was a political will to address them.


Is it really just the price of living in paradise? This video questions whether these economic challenges can be managed without giving the state an unfair advantage and explores the potential consequences of neglecting these issues. How does Hawaii compare to other states and global economies when it comes to addressing these pressing concerns?

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Up next
Aug 11
Why do We Still Need to Work?
A century ago, economist John Maynard Keynes confidently predicted that by 2030, we would only be working 15 hours a week. Yet, here we are—working harder than ever! While technology has dramatically boosted productivity, our work hours remain largely unchanged, and the prevalenc ... Show More
15m 56s
Aug 5
Do We Still Need Central Banks?
Almost every nation relies on a central bank, but the US is buzzing with talk of scrapping the Fed—the globe’s mightiest financial force! From its 1694 origins to battling today’s debt and inequality crises, we break down why central banks are crucial and what chaos could unfold ... Show More
18m 39s
Jul 21
Iran's Economic Dilemma
Iran boasts vast oil reserves, a strategic trading position, and a skilled workforce; however, sanctions and internal issues hinder its progress. From black-market oil to power outages, discover why this energy giant struggles to thrive. Can it break free from its economic troubl ... Show More
16 m
Recommended Episodes
Jun 2022
Hawaii (S5.09)
Audio: Hawaii https://media.blubrry.com/80_days_an_exploration/content.blubrry.com/80_days_an_exploration/80Days_S05E09_Hawaii.mp3 In this episode of 80 Days: An Exploration Podcast, we’ll be talking about Hawaii, and specifically the Big Island of Hawaii. Which is also called Ha ... Show More
1h 58m
Jul 2024
167. Paradise Lost: The Taking of Hawaii
On 7th July 1898, President McKinley formally annexed Hawaii, making it a colonial territory of the USA. It was not until 21st August, 1959, that it became the 50th state. Orchestrated by the American planter class in Hawaii, led by Sanford Dole, this annexation was the culminati ... Show More
47m 21s
Jul 29
Can Greenland go it alone?
Until this year Greenland rarely made the international news and probably only the islanders themselves took much time to contemplate their future. But then US President Donald Trump said he wanted to annexe it for its strategic position and mineral wealth. So the question has be ... Show More
26m 52s
Sep 2024
Sarah Miller-Davenport, "Gateway State: Hawai’i and the Cultural Transformation of American Empire" (Princeton UP, 2019)
One of my talking points when hanging out with my fellow diplomatic historians is the painful absence of scholarship on Hawaii. Too many political histories treat Hawaii’s statehood as a kind of historical inevitability, an event that was bound to pass the moment the kingdom was ... Show More
59m 12s
Jul 19
How Geography Explains Our World, with Tim Marshall
Tim Marshall is one of the world’s most successful authors on foreign affairs. He’s the writer who put the ‘geo’ into geopolitics with his multi-million selling books Prisoners of Geography and The Power of Geography. Marshall’s principal argument is that without geography we can ... Show More
33m 38s
Dec 2018
James Robinson on Why Nations Fail
Metrics on the average living standards from the best-off countries in the world (say, Norway) to the worst-off (perhaps the Central African Republic) vary by a factor of 40 to 50. So notes James Robinson, the Reverend Dr. Richard L. Pearson Professor of Global Conflict at the Un ... Show More
18m 19s
Oct 2024
Season 3, Episode 12: Christina Gerhardt, Sea Change: An Atlas of Islands in a Rising Ocean; With Special Guest, Simona Marinescu
Send us a textJoin Professors Jeffrey Sachs, Christina Gerhardt and UN Senior Advisor on Small Island Developing States, Simona Marinescu as they discuss human induced global warming, the implications of rising sea levels, and Gerhardt’s book, Sea Change: An Atlas of Islands in a ... Show More
37m 34s
Apr 2025
The Bahamas
Located just 50 miles off the coast of Miami, Florida, is the nation of the Bahamas. It is a large archipelago of islands covering over 5000 square miles in the Atlantic Ocean. The Bahamas are a unique country both historically and geologically. It has a landscape unlike any othe ... Show More
17m 8s
May 12
The First Hawaiians
Long before Hawaii became a U.S. state, it was home to a rich and vibrant culture. In this episode, we journey back to ancient Hawaii to learn how early Hawaiians crossed the ocean in canoes, cared for the land and sea, and lived by values like aloha and respect. Discover their a ... Show More
8m 54s
Apr 2024
One Bigg Island in Space from the founders of Biggby Coffee
One Big Island in Space: Revolutionizing the Coffee Industry with Farm Direct Coffee The podcast features Restaurant Technologies Group hosting Michelle and Robert Fish, co-founders of One Big Island in Space and Biggby Coffee. Michelle and Robert share their passion for supporti ... Show More
32m 37s