Loretta Napoleoni: The intricate economics of terrorism

The speaker shares a personal story about interviewing the Red Brigades, a terrorist group in Italy, and explores the economic aspects of terrorism. The narrative reveals how terrorism is driven by financial needs and how it operates as a parallel economic system. The speaker discusses the impact of globalization and deregulation on terrorism, highlighting the shift in money laundering activities post-9/11 due to the Patriot Act. The talk concludes with a call to question everything and understand the deeper connections between crime, terror, and the global economy.

How did the speaker's background in economics influence their perspective on terrorism?

What parallels did the speaker draw between the evolution of terrorism and Western capitalism?

What was the estimated size of the international economic system composed of crime and terrorism before 9-11?

What was the impact of the Patriot Act on international banking and money laundering?