In this episode of Merryn Talks Money, host Merryn Somerset Webb is joined live at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe by Bloomberg Opinion columnist Adrian Wooldridge, former British ambassador Nick Hopton and Orbis Investment Management Chairman Alec Cutler to ask what Adam Smith can teach us about today's rapidly changing economic order. The panel considers rising government debt, the growing relationship between states and powerful companies, and whether the AI investment boom could follow previous market bubbles. They also discuss what it all means for investors, from gold and government bonds to energy stocks and the future of the North Sea. 00:00 Welcome and introduction 02:39 Debasement, debt and financial repression 10:02 Adam Smith and the return of monster companies 18:15 Big tech and shareholder democracy 24:51 Adam Smith on the geopolitics of today Sign up for the Merryn Talks Money newsletter: https://www.bloomberg.com/account/newsletters/merryn-talks-money Sign up for the Money Distilled newsletter https://www.bloomberg.com/account/newsletters/money-distilled Watch Bloomberg Vodcasts: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLe4PRejZgr0MS0Tqk_zQl1LVVTdWuH2Di Subscribe to Bloomberg Podcasts: https://bit.ly/BloombergPodcasts Visit us: https://www.bloomberg.com/podcasts Visit our other YouTube channels: Bloomberg Television: https://www.youtube.com/@markets Bloomberg Originals: https://www.youtube.com/bloomberg For coverage on news, markets and more: http://www.bloomberg.com/video