Capitalisn't Capitalism-Was: What Happened to the American Dream? With David Leonhardt
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Jun 6, 2024 
Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist David Leonhardt discusses the evolution of American capitalism, shifts in manufacturing, and the tension between immigration and wages. He explores the impact of globalization, the weakening of unions, and the moral implications of the current capitalist system, offering pathways for prosperity and upward mobility.
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Populism vs. Progressivism
- David Leonhardt champions populism, highlighting its bottom-up nature where workers bargained for better conditions.
- He contrasts this with progressivism's top-down, elite-driven approach.
The Shift of the Left in the 1960s
- Leonhardt suggests the 1960s, with figures like C. Wright Mills, marked a shift in the Left.
- Intellectuals were seen as the vanguard, sidelining the working class.
Clinton's WTO Decision
- In 1999, Clinton sided with globalists like Robert Rubin, accepting WTO with no labor protections.
- Unions warned of a "race to the bottom", but their concerns were dismissed.