Economic Update with Richard D. Wolff

July 12, 2015 Continuing our new format experiment of two in-depth analyses, the first half of today's show we discuss how The New Deal was both a victory and a defeat. Both offer crucial lessons for today's world. In the show's second half, we'll dive into a critical review of labor's short and long-run goals, labor's defensive decline, and a new strategy built on lessons of that decline.

March 29, 2015 In this episode of Economic Update we take a look at the Trans-Pacific Partnership secrets, the Heinz-Kraft merger, the overly costly and underperforming US medical care system, the fines for Graco selling faulty child car-seats, China's real-estate bubble and the estate tax repeal being pushed by Republican House Representatives. We will also hear responses to listeners on property: private versus public and discuss how system change has happened in the past and and how it can and should happen within capitalism today.

April 5, 2015 This episode of Economic Update features a look into the car parts industry, why and how German courts cut Uber, how Russia's economy is growing despite economic sanctions, why there's no recovery in declining teaching positions in the US for new PhDs in the humanities, and the impact of huge Mexican worker strikes against the agricultural giant Driscoll. We also respond to listeners regarding various countries' currency manipulations and the role of unions in workers' co-ops. Another interview with Dr. Harriet Fraad (a longtime NYC mental health counsellor) on how capitalism's changes since the 1970's have disrupted the personal lives of men and women in the US and the creative solutions to which many have turned.

April 12, 2015 In this edition of Economic Update, we take a look at inadequate unemployment insurance, where Ted Cruz's campaign money is coming from, a law that's giving domestic workers real benefits and who's demonizing the poor. We also hear responses to listener questions on the California drought and the US medical system's experiments on real people. We also dive into an interview with Yochai Gal to discuss two successful Boston-based worker co-ops he's organized - TechCollectives.

April 19, 2015 This edition of Economic Update include updates on: Bernanke's new big-bucks finance job, how GM is avoiding billions in victims' claims for faulty ignitions, how a Seattle capitalist raised all of his employees salaries to a $70k/yr, Americans' self-delusion on inequality, how private profit is trumping public policy and anti-student-debt activism. Responses to listeners in the second half of the show include: the impact on China if capitalism's relocation is stopped and major discussions on the economics of wages and prices, the narrowness of economics in education and basic global economic development issues.

April 26, 2015 In this edition of Economic Update we will examine the potential impacts of the UK elections, the economic crisis' long-term effects, how Kansas demonizes the poor and the mustard-ketchup economic war. We'll also have responses to listeners' questions on child-support economics and US car production moving to Mexico. Our major discussions in the second half of the show will cover the history of capitalism and war and the new stages of Cuban socialism and US Cuba-policy as well as the high stakes of Greece's economic situation.

May 3, 2015 This episode of Economic Update includes updates on the May Day holiday, the Baltimore uprising, the Nepal earthquake and poverty, Varoufakis vs repression, Bud Light pushing beer by endangering women and responses to listeners' questions on varieties of coops, plus an Interview with Prof. Yahya Madra on Turkey, Capitalism, and Islam!