cover of episode #453 – Javier Milei: President of Argentina – Freedom, Economics, and Corruption

#453 – Javier Milei: President of Argentina – Freedom, Economics, and Corruption

2024/11/20
logo of podcast Lex Fridman Podcast

Lex Fridman Podcast

AI Deep Dive AI Insights AI Chapters Transcript
People
J
Javier Milei
阿根廷总统,自由意志主义经济学家,致力于通过激进的经济改革解决国家的财政和通货膨胀问题。
Topics
Javier Milei 认为经济自由是经济增长的关键,它能够极大地提高生产力和人均GDP,并显著改善人类生活水平,特别是使许多人摆脱贫困。他认为,尽管传统的新古典经济学理论认为垄断和集中结构是不利的,但历史数据表明,在人均GDP大幅增长的同时,人口也大幅增长,生活水平也得到了极大提高。这表明,自由市场和经济自由才是真正的福祉之源。

Deep Dive

Key Insights

Why did you choose to campaign with a chainsaw?

The chainsaw symbolized my promise to slash the corrupt bureaucracy of the state and reduce government intervention in the economy.

Why do you despise the state and violence?

I despise the state and violence because they infringe on individual freedoms and property rights, which are fundamental to a free society.

What were the initial economic challenges you faced when you took office?

Inflation was rising at 1% per day, reaching 3,700% annually, and the fiscal deficit was 15% of GDP, financed through money printing and central bank liabilities.

What were the first steps you took to address these economic challenges?

I reduced the number of ministries, laid off civil employees, stopped public works, eliminated directional transfers to provinces, and restored utility rates to market levels.

How did you achieve fiscal balance so quickly?

By implementing deep spending cuts and transferring debt from the central bank to the treasury, we achieved fiscal balance within the first month of administration.

What impact did your policies have on inflation?

Inflation was brought down from an annual rate of 17,000% to around 28%, with true monetary inflation at 0.2% per month.

How did you address poverty and unemployment?

By making prices transparent and allowing products to reappear in the market, we revealed true poverty levels and began a class recovery, with real wages growing above inflation.

What role does faith play in your life?

Faith is a fundamental element that provides a strong background to face adversities and guides my actions based on the teachings of Judaism and the Torah.

What advice would you give to young people who want to make a difference?

Define what makes you happy and live consistently by that. Never give up and always strive to do what you believe needs to be done, even if it means failing.

What gives you hope for the future of Argentina and humanity?

The increasing awareness of the importance of freedom due to social media and technological advancements gives me hope for a better, more prosperous world.

Chapters
Javier Milei discusses his journey towards understanding economic freedom, influenced by Austrian economics and libertarian principles.
  • Milei's understanding of economic freedom began in 2013-2014 as an economic growth specialist.
  • He was influenced by reading works of Austrian economists like Murray Rothbard and Ludwig von Mises.
  • He shifted from traditional economic views to embrace anarcho-capitalism, advocating for minimal state intervention.

Shownotes Transcript

Javier Milei is the President of Argentina. This episode is available in both English and Spanish. Thank you for listening ❤ Check out our sponsors: https://lexfridman.com/sponsors/ep453-sc) See below for timestamps, transcript, and to give feedback, submit questions, contact Lex, etc.

Transcript: https://lexfridman.com/javier-milei-transcript)

CONTACT LEX: Feedback – give feedback to Lex: https://lexfridman.com/survey) AMA – submit questions, videos or call-in: https://lexfridman.com/ama) Hiring – join our team: https://lexfridman.com/hiring) Other – other ways to get in touch: https://lexfridman.com/contact)

EPISODE LINKS: Javier Milei’s X: https://x.com/JMilei) Javier Milei’s Instagram: https://instagram.com/javiermilei) Javier Milei’s Facebook: https://facebook.com/JavierMileiEconomista)

SPONSORS: To support this podcast, check out our sponsors & get discounts: Eight Sleep: Temp-controlled smart mattress. Go to https://eightsleep.com/lex) NetSuite: Business management software. Go to http://netsuite.com/lex) BetterHelp: Online therapy and counseling. Go to https://betterhelp.com/lex) AG1: All-in-one daily nutrition drinks. Go to https://drinkag1.com/lex) LMNT: Zero-sugar electrolyte drink mix. Go to https://drinkLMNT.com/lex)

OUTLINE: (00:00) – Introduction (14:44) – Economic freedom (20:09) – Anarcho-capitalism (30:02) – Presidency and reforms (49:22) – Poverty (55:54) – Corruption (1:04:32) – Freedom (1:18:43) – Elon Musk (1:24:11) – DOGE (1:26:13) – Donald Trump (1:32:13) – US and Argentina relations (1:39:22) – Messi vs Maradona (1:48:16) – God (1:50:22) – Elvis and Rolling Stones (1:54:02) – Free market (2:01:03) – Loyalty (2:03:40) – Advice for young people (2:05:06) – Hope for Argentina

PODCAST LINKS: – Podcast Website: https://lexfridman.com/podcast) – Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/2lwqZIr) – Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2nEwCF8) – RSS: https://lexfridman.com/feed/podcast/) – Podcast Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLrAXtmErZgOdP_8GztsuKi9nrraNbKKp4) – Clips Channel: https://www.youtube.com/lexclips)

SOCIAL LINKS: – X: https://x.com/lexfridman) – Instagram: https://instagram.com/lexfridman) – TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@lexfridman) – LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/lexfridman) – Facebook: https://facebook.com/lexfridman) – Patreon: https://patreon.com/lexfridman) – Telegram: https://t.me/lexfridman) – Reddit: https://reddit.com/r/lexfridman)