Rethinking the Gilded Age | Brian Domitrovic | Ep. 80

Rethinking the Gilded Age | Brian Domitrovic | Ep. 80

Author: HumanProgress.org June 12, 2026 Duration: 35:01

The Gilded Age has become one of the most common analogies for our own time, invoked as shorthand for economic inequality and political corruption. But that comparison misses much of what made the period extraordinary. After the Civil War, the United States experienced an incredible period of economic growth that completely transformed American life and landscapes.

In this episode of The Human Progress Podcast, economic historian Brian Domitrovic joins our managing editor Chelsea Follett to discuss why the conventional story of the Gilded Age is incomplete, how industrialization made ordinary Americans better off, and what we can learn from the triumphs of the Gilded Age.


Marian L. Tupy and Chelsea Follett of HumanProgress.org host The Human Progress Podcast, a series dedicated to exploring the often overlooked but measurable advancements that have shaped our world. This podcast delves into the data and stories behind improvements in human well-being, from rising life expectancy and declining poverty to technological innovation and expanding freedoms. Each episode features conversations with researchers, authors, and thinkers who examine the forces driving this progress, while also addressing common misconceptions and concerns about the future. The discussions are grounded in evidence, offering a nuanced counterpoint to prevailing narratives of decline. Listeners will find a thoughtful analysis of long-term trends across science and society, providing a deeper understanding of how far we’ve come and the challenges that remain. It’s an invitation to consider a more optimistic, fact-based view of human history and our potential. Tune in for a regular dose of informed perspective that goes beyond the headlines.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

The Human Progress Podcast
Podcast Episodes
The Misdiagnosis of American Mental Health | Chris Ferguson | Ep. 72 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:17:21
Psychologist Chris Ferguson joins Adam Omary to discuss American mental health, cognitive biases, and the dangers of narrative overreach.Buy his book, Catastrophe!: How Psychology Explains Why Good People Make Bad Situat…
The False History of American Capitalism | Donald Boudreaux | Ep. 64 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:11:34
Economist Donald Boudreaux joins Marian Tupy to discuss important misconceptions about American economic history and why it’s crucial to set the record straight.Learn more in his book, The Triumph of Economic Freedom: De…