logo
episode-header-image
Jul 2019
35m 39s

The inferno that transformed American la...

American Public Media
About this episode
tail spinning
Up next
Aug 2019
Lincoln Savings loses it all
Charles Keating robbed working people of their life savings and cost taxpayers billions of dollars. All under the watch of powerful politicians.You can follow Spectacular Failures on Twitter and Facebook using @failureshow. We're @failure_show on Instagram. Follow Lauren Ober on ... Show More
37m 11s
Aug 2019
Toys R Us goes bust
No amount of nostalgia could save Toys R Us from the private equity firms that owned it.You can follow Spectacular Failures on Twitter and Facebook using @failureshow. We're @failure_show on Instagram. Follow Lauren Ober on Twitter and Instagram at @oberandout.Spectacular Failure ... Show More
36m 5s
Aug 2019
Trump's big gamble on Atlantic City
By the time the final dice were thrown, Trump's Atlantic City casino operations had gone bankrupt six times. Despite that, Trump won the long game.You can follow Spectacular Failures on Twitter and Facebook using @failureshow. We're @failure_show on Instagram. Follow Lauren Ober ... Show More
41m 38s
Recommended Episodes
Aug 2021
9: When the American Dream Goes Up in Flames: The Triangle Shirtwaist Fire
Welcome to the Dark History podcast. Today, we are going to talk about the Triangle Shirtwaist Fire, where 146 garment workers lost their lives. This tragic story lives at the intersection of greedy capitalism, immigrant exploitation and social justice. Workers fighting for basic ... Show More
46m 19s
Feb 2025
Why Can’t Fashion Fix Its Labour Exploitation Problem?
<p>The revelation this year of child labour in India’s cotton fields and modern-day slavery in Taiwanese garment factories is the latest scandal concerning worker treatment in fashion’s supply chain. New abuses keep emerging despite efforts by brands, manufacturers, activists, an ... Show More
25m 22s
Feb 2025
Why Can’t Fashion Fix Its Labour Exploitation Problem?
<p>The revelation this year of child labour in India’s cotton fields and modern-day slavery in Taiwanese garment factories is the latest scandal concerning worker treatment in fashion’s supply chain. New abuses keep emerging despite efforts by brands, manufacturers, activists, an ... Show More
25m 22s
Apr 2024
The high price of cheap clothes
Lorena has been a garment worker in Los Angeles for over twenty years, going to work each day in a small factory to sew trendy fast fashion clothes for pennies per item. But one day, she decided enough was enough, and she took a stand against the poor work conditions and low pay. ... Show More
33m 54s
Jun 2019
Factory
Tim Harford charts the history of the factory, from "dark, Satanic mills" to the sprawling industrial parks where today's consumer goods are assembled. Have factories made workers' lives better - and what does their future look like? 
8m 59s
Apr 2023
Ten Years After Rana Plaza, Has Fashion Changed?
tail spinning
20m 44s
Aug 2019
Fire
Humanity's taming of fire may be where the story of economics really begins, some argue. Tim Harford explores how fire has shaped our world and our minds, and why it's still got some important lessons to teach us. 
9m 51s
May 2023
Rana Plaza 10 Years - So, Did We Make Fashion Ethical Yet?
<p>Ten years ago, the devastating Rana Plaza collapse in Dhaka proved just how deadly the business of making clothes could be for marginalised garment workers. <strong>In countries like Bangladesh where cheap clothing is produced at high volume, and wages are kept low, it’s these ... Show More
1h 2m
Sep 2025
North America Auto Tariffs, American Worker Shortage, 20 Years After Hurricane Katrina
This week, we revisit two stories we brought you over the past year and discuss what has changed since then. How has trade between the US and Mexico shifted since President Donald Trump took office, and where do Canadian auto parts fit into the trade spat between the North Americ ... Show More
48 m
Jun 2022
What Does It Take to Close the Opportunity Gap in America’s Labor Market?
In the wake of George Floyd’s killing and widespread protests for social justice in the United States, OneTen was formed by a coalition of 40 large companies to address the disparity in job opportunities for African-Americans without four-year college degrees. Their goal was to p ... Show More
33m 8s
Listen to millions of songs and podcasts on Anghami