The Socialist Program with Brian Becker Why Trump Wants State Control of Intel w/ Prof. Wolff
Aug 20, 2025
In this discussion, Richard Wolff, an author and co-founder of Democracy at Work, talks about the Trump administration's potential 10% stake in Intel. He highlights how this move reflects deeper issues in the U.S. economy and the ongoing competition with China. They explore the historical interplay between capitalism and government intervention, examining the consequences for American workers. Wolff also discusses how industrial policy intertwines with military strategy in a declining empire, posing critical questions on national security and economic inequality.
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Government As Capitalism’s Architect
- The U.S. government has always subsidized and expanded capitalism from its founding onwards.
- Richard Wolff emphasizes government action is intrinsic to US economic development, not an exception.
State-Funded Land Theft
- Wolff recounts 19th-century U.S. ethnic cleansing and land seizure as government-organized subsidies to settlers.
- He frames indigenous dispossession as foundational state-sponsored economic subsidy.
Capitalists Fear Democratic Power
- Capitalists demand government subsidies while fearing expanded democracy that could reverse elite benefits.
- Wolff links widening suffrage with capitalist anxiety about losing favorable government policies.
