EPISODE · Jan 22, 2026 · 14 MIN
Episode 9: Recessions: Why Economies Fall, Why They Rise, and Why the Cycle Never Ends
from The Polymath · host Achintya Krishnan
Recessions are not accidents — they are features of the system. In this episode, we break down recessions as cyclical outcomes of credit booms, human psychology, leverage, expectations, and policy decisions. You’ll learn why booms plant the seeds of busts, why fear spreads faster than facts, why unemployment lags behind the data, and why recessions repeat across centuries and countries. Instead of fearing downturns, you’ll understand them as part of the economic breathing cycle — painful, but predictable and essential.
What this episode covers
Recessions are not accidents — they are features of the system. In this episode, we break down recessions as cyclical outcomes of credit booms, human psychology, leverage, expectations, and policy decisions. You’ll learn why booms plant the seeds of busts, why fear spreads faster than facts, why unemployment lags behind the data, and why recessions repeat across centuries and countries. Instead of fearing downturns, you’ll understand them as part of the economic breathing cycle — painful, but predictable and essential.
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Episode 9: Recessions: Why Economies Fall, Why They Rise, and Why the Cycle Never Ends
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