Economic Update – November 22, 2024

Economic Update

Economics Professor Richard D. Wolff and guests discuss the current state of the economy, locally and globally. The program explores alternative ways to organize, markets, and government policies. Click Here to listen to the current episode of Economic Update with Richard D. Wolff.

Upcoming Episode

Economic Update

The Global Movement for Cooperatives, with Jerome N. Warren

On this week’s episode: Professor Wolff discusses the repression of student protesters by U.S. universities and politicians, the continued global demands of indigenous people for liberation from colonialism’s legacies, and Harvard’s corporate administration sacrificing its students’ and faculty’s freedom of expression to pander to some of its donors. Finally, Professor Wolff interviews Professor Jerome N. … Continued


Economic Update

The Economics of U.S. Labor Struggles and Gaza

In this week’s episode of Economic Update, Professor Wolff discusses the economic repercussions of Western sanctions and the retaliations they provoke. He then turns to the latest labor strikes and the wage and benefit gains achieved by unions at Boeing and East Coast dock workers. He highlights China’s dominance of the global energy markets, and … Continued


Economic Update

College Admissions, Puerto Rican Crises, and Left Political Unity

On this week’s episode: Professor Richard Wolff discusses the new law signed by California Governor Gavin Newsom banning “legacy and donor” favoritism in private college admissions to foster a “merit system.” He also discusses Javier Milei and his regime in Argentina, which is imposing austerity measures on the country: the masses will suffer to pay … Continued


Economic Update

Flint: The Water Crisis Persists / Obesity Drugs

On this week’s episode of Economic Update: how FED Chair Jerome Powell admits capitalism’s intrinsic instability, a Tennessee plastic plant won’t let workers leave before storm Helene hits, new drugs for obesity (Ozempic and Wegovy) highlight the failures of for-profit medical care. Finally, we interview Jordan Chariton on his new book, We, the Poisoned: Exposing … Continued


Economic Update

Health Insurance Pre-payment Scheme / Emergency Workplace Organizing Committee (EWOC) with Eric Blanc

On this week’s episode: Professor Richard Wolff discusses the modern political history in the United Kingdom, as Conservatives protect UK corporations and the rich by employing “Distractions”: First Brexit and now Ukraine. Next, he turns to the latest worker uprising, this time in Washington state, as workers at Boeing strike demanding better wages and benefits … Continued


Economic Update

Financializing Public Universities for Wall Street’s Benefit

On this week’s episode, Professor Richard Wolff addresses the numerous requests for financial planning or investment advice that he receives from many of you, touching on the truth about investing in the stock and/or bond markets. In addition, he offers a basic understanding of the economics of U.S. capitalism’s century-long, profit-driven failure to adequately provide … Continued


Economic Update

Understanding Communism, part two

This week, Professor Richard Wolff offers a special episode to continue the previous discussion on communism. He discusses how socialism’s history evolved into separating socialism from communism and creating multiple, different meanings of what is considered communism today.  


Economic Update

Understanding Communism, part one

This week, Professor Richard Wolff offers a special episode discussing the unscary origins of the ideas of communism and socialism before the Cold War demonized them. He discusses how socialism’s history evolved by separating from communism and creating multiple, different meanings of what is considered communism today.  


Economic Update

Hotel Workers Strike / Yanis Varoufakis on the Changing World Economy

On this week’s episode: Professor Richard Wolff draws attention to the 10,000 hotel workers who recently conducted a strike impacting major hotels across 19 U.S. cities. We highlight the contested merger of the two largest grocery chains in America, as Albertsons and Kroger threaten to become the third largest retail giant after Amazon, and Walmart … Continued