Economic Update

Economic Update – October 18, 2019

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.


Economic Update

US Economy and the Market

“Analysis of the state of the US economy at summer’s end, 2019: a decidedly mixed picture. Critique of the institution of the market that focuses on its structure, social effects, and particular beneficiaries: a counter to the imaginary ‘free market’.”


Economic Update

Capitalism in Denial

  Updates on parallel declines of UK and US capitalisms; denials of their systemic problems worsens them. Longer segments on (1) political economy of immigration, and (2) why the basic problem of Central and South America is 2-3 centuries of capitalism producing and reproducing extreme inequality, staggering poverty, and corrupt government elites. That is the … Continued


Economic Update

Homelessness in the US

    Updates on politicians’ “blame game” of scapegoating to avoid blaming capitalism, middle class squeezed by prices, limits of workers on corporate boards of directors, lessons from a courageous Puerto Rican people. Interview Rob Robinson, global advocate for the homeless.


Economic Update

Socialism: From Past to Future

On this episode of Economic Update, Prof. Wolff begins with socialism’s history especially in the US: from being widely discussed up to 1945, then repressed in the Cold War, and now vigorously revived since 2008. He then examines socialism’s basic economic criticism of capitalism in the 20th century. And finally, he shows how and why … Continued


Economic Update

Injustice, Race and Class

Updates on 3 deadly failures of capitalism, DOJ investigation of hi-tech monopolies, worker coops franchised, how income inequality breeds social inequalities. Interview with Bob Hennelly, investigating reporter on Garner, Epstein and Kushner cases.


Economic Update

“Reparations and Forgiving Student Debts”

Updates on economics of 2 million home health aides, extreme Uber inequalities, Alaska universities 41% budget cuts, Michigan governor during Flint Water Crisis says his critics are “uncivil,” a British district’s labor party proposes a worker-coop sector to UK Parliament using resources from our “Economic Update” programs. Major topics discussed: economics of reparations for African-American … Continued


Economic Update

Socialism and Worker Coops

20th century socialism is now behind us. Socialists continued to evaluate both its achievements and failures via extensive self-criticism. A changed socialism has emerged, focused on a transition of workplaces from top-down hierarchical capitalist structures into democratic worker cooperatives. The powerful appeal of worker coops as grounding a new 21st century socialism is presented.