Economic Update with Richard D. Wolff
Democracy at Work, Richard D. Wolff
Economic Update with Richard D. Wolff is a weekly nationally syndicated program produced by Democracy at Work and hosted by Richard D. Wolff. The program explores complex economic issues and empowers listeners with information to analyze not only their own financial situation but the economy at large. Beyond focusing a critical eye on the economic dimensions of everyday life - wages, jobs, taxes, debts, interest rates, prices, and profits - the program also explores systemic solutions to our economy's problems including alternative ways to organize production and distribution of the goods and services we all depend on.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Sep 3, 2020 • 29min
US Labor Crisis Deepens
On this week's all new Economic Update, Prof. Wolff discusses the Federal Reserve's pro-inflation policy's causes and effects, professional athletes and "dual power," more state-monopoly capitalism in the US, and Denmark vs US on Covid-19 battle. On the second half of the show, Prof. Wolff interviews journalist Bob Hennelly on the US labor crisis.
Aug 28, 2020 • 29min
The Declining Empire with Chris Hedges
On this week's Economic Update, Prof. Wolff discusses the following: Denmark's new taxes on banks and rich people to help workers doing dangerous jobs; West Virginia AG sues Walmart and CVS for complicity in opioid scandal; and US State Department urges universities to sell shares in Chinese corporations. On the second half of the show, Prof. Wolff interviews author and journalist Chris Hedges on signs of the declining US empire.
Aug 20, 2020 • 29min
China: Capitalist, Socialist, or What?
On this week's episode, Prof. Wolff talks about the Chinese economy. China is run by a Communist Party but describes itself as socialist, while the employer/employee structure of its enterprises is capitalist. We examine what this means for (a) its place in the world economy, (b) its place in the transition from capitalism to socialism/communism, and (c) its conflict with the US.
Aug 13, 2020 • 29min
Capitalism's Definition is not Innocent
On this week's all new EU, Prof. Wolff contends that defenders of capitalism chose a poor definition because that made it much easier to defend capitalism. A much better, clearer definition was and is available. But, he explains, it exposes capitalism to profound criticisms.
Aug 6, 2020 • 29min
The FED's Rigged Money Management
On this week's show, Prof. Wolff discusses the following: the US is a poor place to raise kids according to a recent Forbes' magazine article, the collapsing restaurant industry, eviction policy (France vs US), Bugatti cars for very rich kids, and Pfizer CEO wants big profits from Covid-19 vaccine. On the second half of the show, Prof. Wolff talks with former Goldman Sachs banker Nomi Prins on how the Fed rigs US money supply in disastrous ways.
Jul 30, 2020 • 29min
Pandemic Capitalism: A View from Asia
On this week's show, Prof. Wolff discusses corruption of public workers' pensions, capitalist contracts displaced by legal fights, Canada's COVID-19 record vs US, retail apocalypse deepens, and Bezos vs 50 homeless people in Pittsfield. On the second half of the show, Prof. Wolff interviews economist and former UN Assistant Secretary General, Jomo Kwame Sundaram.
Jul 23, 2020 • 29min
Today's Pandemic as a Crisis of Capitalism
On this week's episode, Prof. Wolff presents the following updates: company cutting candy bar size but keeping the same price, Barcelona punishes landlords with empty apartments, Macy's closing stores while giving $millions bonuses to top executives, IMF anti-Covid-19 funds used instead to pay off private loans, health insurer profits because people cannot afford and fear doctor and hospital visits, Amazon profits from pandemic. On the second half of the show, Prof. Wolff interviews epidemiologist Rob Wallace on capitalist agriculture and viral pandemics.
Jul 16, 2020 • 29min
The "Great Debate" that Wasn't
Throughout capitalism's history, the big topic in economics was how far the government should intervene in the economy. Conservatives wanted minimum intervention while liberals and socialists wanted much more. In fact, government intervention mostly aimed at saving, protecting, supporting capitalism. The genuinely "great debate" could and should have been about the strengths and weaknesses of capitalism versus those of a real alternative system, socialism.
Jul 9, 2020 • 29min
Sports and Capitalism
On this week's show, Prof. Wolff presents updates on false "trade-off" between illness and economy, going from normal to extraordinary injustice, hypocritical scapegoating of foreigners instead of facing domestic public health and economic failures, and lastly, the tragic neglect of education during the pandemic and economic crash. On the second half of the show, Prof. Wolff is joined by The Nation magazine sports editor, Dave Zirin.
Jul 2, 2020 • 29min
Europe's New Internationalist Left
On this week's show, Prof. Wolff presents updates on "zombie" companies and their rapid growth in the US, The Federal Reserve "stress tests" expose risks, and weaknesses of major US banks. On the second half of the show, Prof. Wolff is joined by Greek economist, academic, philosopher and politician, Yanis Varoufakis on DiEM25, Europe's new internationalist left.
