Mike Bird on the Land Trap and How the History of Housing Impacts the Global Economy

Mike Bird is the Wall Street editor for The Economist magazine and is the author of The Land Trap: A New History of the World's Oldest Asset . Mike returns to the show to discuss the conclusion of Abenomics, the origins of land as an asset, the surge in housing prices during the COVID-19 Pandemic, the unsuspecting story of Wolf Ladejinsky, how housing impacted Japan's lost decade, the modern history of land in China, and much more. Check out the transcript for this week's episode, now with links. Recorded on November 4th, 2025 Subscribe to David's Substack: Macroeconomic Policy Nexus Follow David Beckworth on X: @DavidBeckworth Follow Mike on X: @Birdyword Follow the show on X: @Macro_Musings Check out our Macro Musings merch! Subscribe to David's new BTS YouTube Channel Timestamps 00:00:00 - Intro 00:01:27 - Abenomics 00:04:32 - Motivations for The Land Trap 00:7:58 - Land as a Different Kind of Asset 00:14:55 - COVID-19 Housing Prices 00:20:42 - Land as an Enduringly Important Asset 00:24:34 - Wolf Ladejinsky 00:37:14 - Japan from 1980s Onward 00:47:28 - Land in China 00:56:36 - Henry George 01:00:42 - Outro