Economic Update

Economic Update - The Declining Empire with Chris Hedges

 On this week's Economic Update, Prof. Wolff discusses the following: Denmark's new taxes on banks and rich people to help workers doing dangerous jobs; West Virginia AG sues Walmart and CVS for complicity in opioid scandal; and US State Department urges universities to sell shares in Chinese corporations. On the second half of the show, Prof. Wolff interviews author and journalist  Chris Hedges on signs of the declining US empire.

Economic Update - China: Capitalist, Socialist, or What?

On this week's episode, Prof. Wolff talks about the Chinese economy. China is run by a Communist Party but describes itself as socialist, while the employer/employee structure of its enterprises is capitalist. We examine what this means for (a) its place in the world economy, (b) its place in the transition from capitalism to socialism/communism, and (c) its conflict with the US.

 

 

Economic Update - Capitalism's Definition is not Innocent

Defenders of capitalism chose a poor definition because that made it much easier to defend capitalism. A much better, clearer definition was and is available. But it exposes capitalism to profound criticisms.

 

 

Economic Update - The FED's Rigged Money Management

On this week's show, Prof. Wolff discusses the following: the US is a poor place to raise kids according to a recent Forbes' magazine article, the collapsing restaurant industry, eviction policy (France vs US), Bugatti cars for very rich kids, and Pfizer CEO wants big profits from Covid-19 vaccine. On the second half of the show, Prof. Wolff talks with former Goldman Sachs banker Nomi Prins on how the Fed rigs US money supply in disastrous ways.

Economic Update - Pandemic Capitalism: A View from Asia

On this week's show, Prof. Wolff discusses corruption of public workers' pensions, capitalist contracts displaced by legal fights, Canada's COVID-19 record vs US, retail apocalypse deepens, and Bezos vs 50 homeless people in Pittsfield. On the second half of the show, Prof. Wolff interviews economist and former UN Assistant Secretary General, Jomo Kwame Sundaram. 

Economic Update - Today's Pandemic as a Crisis of Capitalism

 On this week's episode, Prof. Wolff presents the following updates: company cutting candybar size but keeping the same price, Barcelona punishes landlords with empty apartments, Macy's closing stores while giving $millions bonuses to top executives, IMF anti-Covid-19 funds used instead to pay off private loans, health insurer profits because people cannot afford and fear doctor and hospital visits, Amazon profits from pandemic. On the second half of the show, Prof. Wolff interviews epidemiologist Rob Wallace on capitalist agriculture and viral pandemics.

Economic Update - The "Great Debate" that Wasn't

 Throughout capitalism's history, the big topic in economics was how far the government should intervene in the economy. Conservatives wanted minimum intervention while liberals and socialists wanted much more. In fact, government intervention mostly aimed at saving, protecting, supporting capitalism. The genuinely "great debate" could and should have been about the strengths and weaknesses of capitalism versus those of a real alternative system, socialism. 

 

 

Economic Update - Sports and Capitalism

On this week's show, Prof. Wolff presents updates on false "trade-off" between illness and economy, going from normal to extraordinary injustice, hypocritical scapegoating of foreigners instead of facing domestic public health and economic failures, and lastly, the tragic neglect of education during the pandemic and economic crash. On the second half of the show, Prof. Wolff is joined by Nation magazine sports editor Dave Zirin. 

 

 

Economic Update - Europe's New Internationalist Left

 On this week's show, Prof. Wolff presents updates on "zombie" companies and their rapid growth in the US, The Federal Reserve "stress tests" expose risks, and weaknesses of major US banks. On the second half of the show, Prof. Wolff is joined by Greek economist, academic, philosopher and politician, Yanis Varoufakis on DiEM25, Europe's new internationalist left.

Economic Update - The Pandemic's Lesson about Capitalism

Preparing and coping with the Corona pandemic was inadequate: medical supplies were seriously deficient. That was because it was not profitable for firms to produce or stockpile the supplies. Neo-liberal governments were complicit with private profit capitalists rather than compensating for their inadequacies. The lesson: many basic social needs are like public health. We cannot, need not, and should not rely on capitalists to meet them. Alternatives are available.