Jacobin Radio Behind the News: Beyond the Capitalist Economy w/ Aaron Benanav
Aug 19, 2025
Aaron Benanav, an Assistant Professor of Sociology at Cornell and author of a series on alternate economic models, joins Jerome Nikolai Warren, a Research Fellow focused on community regeneration and cooperatives. They explore the vision for a democratically planned economy and the transformative potential of cooperatives. The discussion critiques capitalism's limitations and imagines a post-capitalist future, emphasizing sustainability and community. They delve into cooperative success stories in Italy, showcasing how these models foster social cohesion and local governance.
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Multi‑Goal Economy Over GDP
- Aaron Benanav argues we must imagine a future economy that balances multiple social goals beyond GDP growth.
- He says focusing on diverse objectives forces rethinking production, investment, and political choice.
Planning Enables Big Industrial Scale
- Benanav highlights five‑year planning as a tool for coordinated large‑scale investment and industrialization.
- He credits planning for enabling industries that only become viable at enormous scales.
Planning Must Incorporate Local Knowledge
- Benanav concedes Hayek and Mises raised valid points about dispersed local knowledge and adaptation.
- He argues modern planning must incorporate local worker knowledge and on‑the‑ground innovation.
