FREE with Clara Mattei

Economist and historian Adam Tooze joins Clara Mattei for an unflinching look at the political economy of Gaza and the global system that profits from destruction.Tooze—author of Crashed, Shutdown, and The Wages of Destruction—examines how capitalism turns devastation into opportunity, how “technocratic” reconstruction plans erase political responsibility, and how Gaza’s annihilation reveals a new model of global economic domination linking high-tech Israel, wealthy Gulf states, and Western capital.Together, they trace the long history of Gaza’s economic siege, the weaponization of aid and austerity, and the illusion of “peace through prosperity.”📚 Topics include:-- The shift from two-state stabilization to capitalist erasure-- Reconstruction as a profit engine-- The role of technocrats and “smart infrastructure” in depoliticizing war-- Gaza 2035 and the Abraham Accords-- Parallels to Ukraine, India–Israel logistics, and the global militarization of development#AdamTooze #FREEpodcast #ClaraMattei #Gaza #Capitalism #ReconstructionEconomy #EconomicHistory #Geopolitics #IsraelPalestine #WarEconomy #ForumForRealEconomicEmancipation #BetterWorlds #PoliticalEconomy #Austerity #Technocracy #AbrahamAccords #Neoliberalism #GlobalSouth #Chartbook #Gaza2035Read Adam Tooze's Chartbook: https://adamtooze.substack.com/Listen to the Ones & Tooze podcast,  @Foreign-Policy  https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ones-and-tooze/id158439704700:00:00 - Introduction00:00:10 - The Gaza Peace Plan00:00:54 - Technocratic Government and AI00:01:24 - Plunder Disguised as Expertise00:01:40 - Interview with Professor Adam Tooze00:02:48 - Why Focus on Palestine?00:03:06 - Exploring Militarism, Economy and Austerity00:03:28 - The Singularity of Gaza Situation00:05:26 - The Deliberate Destruction of Gaza00:06:08 - Comparing Global Crises00:07:30 - Responsibility for Mass Starvation00:08:11 - Gaza's History and Current Situation00:08:29 - The Modern History of Gaza00:10:47 - Gaza's Economic Crisis and Intifadas00:11:59 - Gaza's Siege Economy00:12:34 - The Divergence of Gaza00:12:38 - The Tunnel Economy00:13:21 - Gaza as a Battlefield00:14:48 - The Destruction of Gaza's Economy00:15:08 - Contrast with the Trump Plan00:16:01 - Netanyahu's Gaza 2035 Plan00:17:38 - The Profitability of Destruction and Reconstruction00:18:14 - Political Economy of Capitalism and War00:21:41 - Technocratic Government00:25:36 - The Complex Assemblage of Israeli Interests00:28:22 - Economic and Political Violence00:31:34 - The Ukrainian War Economy00:33:04 - The Prosecution of a Neoliberal Restructuring Experiment00:36:12 - The Continuation of Political Economy in War00:37:21 - The Faces of Austerity Crusades00:39:54 - Historical Parallels of Austerity Policies00:40:06 - Late-Stage Imperialism and Settler Colonial Projects00:45:44 - Understanding Nazi Germany's Economic History00:46:40 - The Escalation of Military Expenditure in Europe00:47:52 - The Shift from Green Modernization to Militarism00:49:48 - Revealing the Tendencies of Austerity00:51:10 - Closing Remarks and Future Engagements

What if slavery wasn’t America’s past, but capitalism’s business model?Historian David McNally (author of Slavery and Capitalism: A New Marxist History) joins economist Clara Mattei to uncover how plantation slavery powered global capitalism, why coercion (not “free markets”) is the system’s core, and how exploitation survives today through austerity and war, from the shop floor to Gaza. We explore:• Slavery as modern business, the roots of today’s exploitation• Enslaved people’s stolen labor as the engine of modern wealth• Why “innovation” means faster extraction of unpaid labor• Austerity as state-enforced market dependence• Militarism as permanent demand (and profit)• Resistance from below, freedom won, not givenThis conversation breaks the Lincoln myth, centers enslaved people’s self-emancipation, and asks what real freedom requires now.❤️ Subscribe for more conversations on democracy, justice, and economic emancipation:   / @freefreeforum  📌 Watch, share, and join the FREE Forum: https://freefreeforum.org 📖 Learn more in David McNally’s new book Slavery and Capitalism: A New Marxist History:https://www.ucpress.edu/books/slavery...🌱 Support FREE & Help Us Grow: https://freefreeforum.betterworld.org🎧 Listen as a Podcast Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5m5xbrP...#Slavery #Capitalism #Exploitation #Resistance #Austerity #Militarism #DavidMcNally #ClaraMattei #FreeForum🌍 Connect with FREE Substack: https://substack.com/@freefreeforum X: https://x.com/freefreeforum Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/freefreeforu... Instagram: / freefreeforum TikTok: / freefreeforum Facebook: / freefreeforum

David McNally, a Marxist historian and author of "Slavery and Capitalism," joins Oklahoma legislator Michelle McCane to explore the intertwined fates of slavery and capitalism. They discuss how plantation slavery fueled global capitalism, the concept of 'legal corruption' embedded in governance, and the challenges of austerity on education funding. McNally also highlights the everyday resistance of enslaved people, while McCane sheds light on local political pressures. Together, they emphasize the importance of grassroots struggle in achieving true freedom.

Camila Vergara, a political theorist and author, joins Clara Mattei to unravel the concept of systemic corruption—how our legal frameworks uphold oligarchic power. They discuss how the U.S. constitution was crafted to protect the wealthy, making inequality a feature, not a flaw. Elections, they argue, deepen this divide instead of remedying it, while revealing that real democracy often resembles an oligarchy. They also highlight past popular movements that challenged these structures and propose practical local projects for genuine change.

Camila Vergara, a political theorist and author, joins economist Clara Mattei to investigate why democracy falters against oligarchy. They discuss systemic corruption and its ties to militarism, revealing how the elite gain from war and influence. The conversation emphasizes grassroots strategies to reclaim power, highlighting innovative local projects like energy co-ops and community councils in Chile. Understand how ordinary people can dismantle corrupt systems and build a democratic future from the ground up.

Explore the troubling connections between militarism, capitalism, and austerity, revealing how profit motives drive global violence. The discussion delves into government priorities favoring arms industries over human needs, highlighting record military budgets and the rise of weapons stock values. Historical examples and modern data illustrate the economic logic behind conflict, sparking a call for young generations to advocate for divestment and demand transformative change. The urgency to confront indifference in the face of systemic injustice is emphasized throughout.

In this engaging discussion, Richard Wolff, an esteemed economist and advocate for worker cooperatives, joins Clara Mattei to dissect capitalism's failures. They reveal how the labor market's hidden coercion undermines liberty and equality. The duo explores inflation and unemployment from a class perspective, exposing how these issues serve capitalist interests. They also discuss how AI could be leveraged by worker cooperatives to enhance productivity while benefiting workers, offering a compelling vision for economic emancipation.

Ibrahim Shikaki, an associate professor of economics and expert on the political economy of Palestine, dives into the complexities of economic dependency and occupation. He explores the historical roots of these issues, tracing them back to the British Mandate and the impact of post-1967 military orders on Palestinian labor dynamics. The conversation highlights Israel's exploitation of cheap labor and resource control, touching on the lingering effects of the First Intifada and the Paris Protocol. Shikaki emphasizes how framing these economic challenges is crucial to understanding the broader context of the occupation.

Austerity isn't just about saving money—it’s a tool for systemic control. Clara Mattei exposes how cuts to essentials like food stamps coincide with military spending, showing the real agenda behind policy shifts. Delving into regressive taxation and higher interest rates, she reveals how they suppress wages and deepen dependence on markets. Historical roots link austerity to authoritarianism, with chilling effects particularly in the Global South. Prepare to question everything about economic equity and power dynamics!

Welcome to FREE: The Forum for Real Economic Emancipation.In our first episode, Clara Mattei dismantles one of the biggest myths in economics: the idea of a “free market.”We dive deep into:✔ Why the free market is a myth and what really sustains it✔ How inequality isn’t an accident, but part of the system’s design✔ Why mainstream economics keeps us powerlessClara also reflects on her conversation with Jon Stewart and why knowledge must serve change—not protect the status quo.📌 Subscribe for more conversations on economic justice, democracy, and building a future beyond austerity.https://freefreeforum.org#FREEForum #claramattei #freepodcast #jonstewart #free #capitalorder #economics #austerity #inequality #capitalism