Pitchfork Economics with Nick Hanauer

Chokepoint Capitalism (with Cory Doctorow and Rebecca Giblin)

Nov 1, 2022

Novelist Cory Doctorow and intellectual property expert Rebecca Giblin discuss their book "Chokepoint Capitalism," exploring tensions between extractive corporations and creative laborers. They offer solutions to fight back against the devaluation of creativity caused by monopolies. The speakers highlight the significance of power in economic analysis and the impact of large corporations on wages and content creation. They emphasize the need for countervailing power in the economy and stronger antitrust measures.

51:55

Episode guests

Rebecca Giblin

Cory Doctorow

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Episode notes

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Quick takeaways

The concentration of power in giant tech and content companies has resulted in limited choices and lower benefits for consumers.

Content creators and artists face challenges in the current economic landscape, with intermediaries profiting disproportionately and reducing creators' earnings.

Deep dives

The Power Imbalance in Economics

The podcast episode explores the importance of understanding power in economics. It argues that power is often overlooked and not factored into economic analysis, which leads to the formation of monopolies that are difficult to regulate. The episode highlights the detrimental effects of relying on giant tech or content companies, as consumers end up settling for limited choices and low benefits. The main insight is that power corrupts, and in the absence of proper regulation, monopolies and concentrated power can harm both creators and users.

Introduction

6min

The Relationship between Market Power and Profits

20min

Accounting Errors, Non-Disclosure Agreements, and Proposed Reforms

10min

Internet Utopians and Concerns

10min

Expressing Gratitude and Emphasizing the Role of Power in Economic Analysis

2min

Impact of Large Corporations on Wages and Content Creation

2min

The Consequences of Concentrated Power and the Need for Countervailing Power

2min

Corporate concentration has strained the labor market for virtually all workers, but the resulting lack of competition has caused unique harm to the creative economy. Increasingly exploitative monopolies have rendered artists, authors, musicians, and other creative workers all but powerless. Novelist Cory Doctorow and intellectual property expert Rebecca Giblin discuss their new book, Chokepoint Capitalism, which documents the increasing tensions between extractive corporations and creative laborers, and offers solutions to help fight back against the devaluation of creativity.

Cory Doctorow is a science fiction writer and activist, as well as a special advisor to the Electronic Frontier Foundation, a visiting professor of computer science at the Open University and of library science at the University of North Carolina, and an MIT Media Lab research affiliate.

Rebecca Giblin is an ARC Future Fellow and Professor at Melbourne Law School. She is Director of the Intellectual Property Research Institute of Australia and heads up the Author’s Interest and eLending projects.

Twitter: @doctorow, @rgibli

Chokepoint Capitalism: How Big Tech and Big Content Captured Creative Labor Markets and How We'll Win Them Back http://www.beacon.org/Chokepoint-Capitalism-P1856.aspx

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