Welcome back, team! In this episode of Dave Talks Politics, hi, I’m Dave, and I’ll be talking politics. Today, team, let’s talk about the top geopolitical YouTubers crushing it right now in February 2026—who’s delivering the sharpest breakdowns on power shifts, trade wars, conflicts, and the real mercantilist race.
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**1. ZEIHAN ON GEOPOLITICS (Peter Zeihan)**
1. Peter Zeihan remains the heavyweight—his channel focuses on geography, demographics, energy, and supply chains as the real drivers of power.
2. Recent videos: Deep dives on China’s yuan push, U.S. shale resilience vs. Russia/OPEC, and why Europe’s energy crisis is structural, not temporary.
3. Style: Direct, no-nonsense maps and data—predicts winners/losers based on physical reality (aging populations, trade routes, food security).
4. Subscriber growth strong—over 1.2 million now—his book tie-ins and paid briefings keep him influential in policy circles.
5. Kiwi take: Zeihan’s emphasis on trade vulnerabilities hits home for export-reliant NZ—his “demographics doom” warnings on China are worth watching closely.
**2. ASIANOMICS**
1. Asianomics delivers calm, data-heavy analysis on Asia’s rise—China, India, ASEAN economies, tech supply chains, and currency moves.
2. Standout recent content: Breakdowns of Xi’s reserve currency call, yuan internationalization progress, and BRICS de-dollarization efforts.
3. Style: Charts, trade stats, no hype—focuses on mercantilist realities like manufacturing scale and export surpluses.
4. Growing fast (approaching 800k subs)—fills a gap for viewers tired of sensationalism, especially on East Asia finance and geopolitics.
5. Relevance: Perfect for understanding China’s talent pipelines and why the West must deregulate to compete—aligns with our channel’s focus.
**3. CASPERSIGHT**
1. Casper’s channel specializes in military/geopolitical updates—Ukraine, Middle East, Taiwan Strait, Indo-Pacific tensions.
2. Recent strength: Real-time mapping of Russian strikes on Ukraine energy grid, Iran naval drills in Hormuz, and Balochistan insurgency fallout.
3. Style: Clean maps, satellite imagery, OSINT sources—factual, low-drama, high-detail.
4. Subscriber base exploding (over 900k)—trusted for accuracy during fast-moving events.
5. Value: Shows geography’s role in conflicts—chokepoints like Hormuz or Black Sea matter more than ideology.
**4. PERUN**
1. Perun is the go-to for deep, hour-long military-industrial breakdowns—defense budgets, logistics, procurement failures.
2. Latest hits: Episodes on U.S. defense industrial base vs. China, Russia’s wartime economy resilience, and why Ukraine aid debates are about production capacity, not just politics.
3. Style: Slides, data tables, dry humor—feels like a university lecture but on steroids.
4. Niche but loyal audience (600k+ subs)—highly respected in defense circles for research depth.
5. Tie-in: Highlights how deregulation and state competition could rebuild Western manufacturing edge—key to mercantilist wins.
**5. GOOD TIMES BAD TIMES (GTBT)**
1. GTBT offers narrative-driven geopolitics—history, current events, future scenarios with beautiful maps and storytelling.
2. Recent standouts: Series on China’s Belt & Road evolution, U.S.-India trade reset, and multipolar world currency shifts post-Xi statement.
3. Style: Cinematic editing, calm narration—makes complex topics accessible without dumbing down.
4. Steady growth (700k+ subs)—strong on long-form analysis of great-power competition.
5. From NZ lens: GTBT’s trade-focused episodes resonate—multicultural ties to Asia mean we feel ripple effects of dollar-yuan battles.
**BOTTOM LINE**
Team, these five—Zeihan, Asianomics, Caspersight, Perun, and GTBT—are leading the geopolitical YouTube pack in 2026. They cut through noise with geography, data, and mercantilist realism—essential viewing as China pushes yuan dominance and U.S. distractions mount. Watch them to stay ahead in the real race: who masters global trade. Deregulate, devolve, innovate—or fall behind.
Talk soon!
