549. The First Great American Industry

Whaling was, in the words of one scholar, “early capitalism unleashed on the high seas.” How did the U.S. come to dominate the whale market? Why did whale hunting die out here — and continue to grow elsewhere? And is that whale vomit in your perfume? (Part 1 of “Everything You Never Knew About Whaling.”)

Episode 549 of the Freakonomics Radio podcast, hosted by Freakonomics Radio + Stitcher, titled "549. The First Great American Industry" was published on July 13, 2023 and runs 43 minutes.

July 13, 2023 ·43m · Freakonomics Radio

Summary

Whaling was, in the words of one scholar, “early capitalism unleashed on the high seas.” How did the U.S. come to dominate the whale market? Why did whale hunting die out here — and continue to grow elsewhere? And is that whale vomit in your perfume? (Part 1 of “Everything You Never Knew About Whaling.”)

Episode Description