The Drum Report is a gripping, speculative economic-political novel that blends investigative journalism, macroeconomic theory, and narrative suspense. At its center is Cassius Drum, a high-tech polymathic market analyst who lives in solitude on an Atlantic beach. His smart-hammock, wired to global financial markets, violently jolts him awake the moment President Trump announces sweeping "Liberation Day Tariffs"-a dramatic, unilateral trade policy imposing 100% tariffs on goods from over two dozen countries. Driven by ...
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The Drum Report is a gripping, speculative economic-political novel that blends investigative journalism, macroeconomic theory, and narrative suspense. At its center is Cassius Drum, a high-tech polymathic market analyst who lives in solitude on an Atlantic beach. His smart-hammock, wired to global financial markets, violently jolts him awake the moment President Trump announces sweeping "Liberation Day Tariffs"-a dramatic, unilateral trade policy imposing 100% tariffs on goods from over two dozen countries. Driven by intuition and alarm, Cassius sets off on a global quest to understand the deeper implications of this seismic policy shift. He interviews world-renowned economists including Paul Krugman, Jeffrey Sachs, Esther Duflo, Joseph Stiglitz, Gita Gopinath, Abhijit Banerjee, Raghuram Rajan, Mariana Mazzucato, Dani Rodrik, and Ha-Joon Chang. Each expert dissects the irrationality and dangers of protectionism, underscoring that the problem lies not with globalization itself, but with the domestic failures to equitably distribute its benefits. As Cassius digs deeper, a chilling hypothesis emerges: the tariffs are not merely populist blunders but part of an ideological campaign orchestrated by a shadowy figure known only as "The Economist in the Basement." This enigmatic advisor resides in the White House basement, spewing pseudo-economic narratives framed in nationalistic, mythic language. He is less concerned with policy outcomes than with provoking collapse to usher in a new order-one built on rage, fear, and illusion. Throughout his journey, Cassius grapples with the failures of both economists and politicians to communicate complex truths to the public. He concludes that the real crisis is not in policy, but in storytelling-the triumph of emotionally resonant falsehoods over dry facts. His investigation becomes both a data-driven detective story and a philosophical exploration of democracy, economics, and media in the age of disinformation. The novel ends with a return to his hammock, where he reflects on the truth that tariffs are merely symptoms of a deeper disease: systemic inequality and democratic erosion. Yet just as he seeks rest, the wind picks up again-signaling that the next crisis may already be unfolding. The second part of the book pivots to solution-oriented essays advocating for deep reform of global governance, particularly the United Nations. Bhagat argues for abolishing veto power, empowering small countries, reforming global trade through a new economic architecture, and using peace dividends from reduced military spending to fund human development. Together, the novel and essays offer both a thrilling fictional journey and a serious policy blueprint for a fairer global order.
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Add this copy of The Drum Report: Markets, Tariffs, and the Man in the to cart. $16.09, new condition, Sold by Ingram Customer Returns Center rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from NV, USA, published 2025 by Independently Published.
