Economic Update – Capitalism and its Others – 07.19.15

Today’s program focuses on two alternatives to capitalism. The first is an alternative to how capitalism organizes enterprises in terms of their internal workings and relationships. We examine workers self-directed enterprises: how they work and how they compare to capitalist enterprises. In the program’s second half we look at an alternative to how capitalism organizes the economy as a whole: the socialist tradition that has evolved multiple different forms in the world today. We examine how socialism has evolved, its complex relationship with government, and how socialism compares with capitalism.

Pope Calls on World Youth to Rise Up Against Global Capitalism – Lauren McCauley

The latest call for a youth uprising against global capitalism came not from grassroots groups, but from the leader of the Catholic Church, who on Sunday gave a rousing speech during which he told a crowd of young people in Paraguay that it is their time to “make a mess.” The address marked the end of Pope Francis’ week-long pilgrimage to Latin …

Economic Update – Class and Socialism – 07.05.15

We begin our 3-week experiment with a new format: two in-depth analyses, one in each half of the show. We begin by considering the different meanings of class, class analysis and class struggle across human history and why those differences matter so much now. Today’s second half explores how socialism evolved from a basic alternative to capitalism into a state capitalism not so different from private capitalism.

Economic Update – Pope Questions Capitalism – 06.28.15

Our updates start with victory of alumna, faculty and students over autocratic board of Sweet Briar College in Virginia, then discuss the uniquely awful US record on paid leave for workers and an interesting move by cities (Santa Cruz, CA as example) to disconnect from corrupt big banks. We have fun with why US govt leaving Waldorf Astoria hotel in New York and we celebrate rising UK movement against austerity. Second half of show interviews veteran reporter Bob Hennelly on the Pope’s statement about ecology, environment, and a failing economic system.

It’s the Planet Stupid!: Capitalism and The Destruction of the Commons – John Atcheson

There is a war going on right now between those who are working to protect the commons and the hard-core capitalists, who are working to privatize our economy, culture, ecology, environment and government. The stakes are high. The outcome will determine whether we live in a dystopian chaos, or a civil society; whether we preserve our natural life support system, …

Karl Marx Was Right By Chris Hedges

On Saturday at the Left Forumin New York City, Chris Hedges joined professors Richard WolffandGail Dinesto discuss why Karl Marx is essential at a time when global capitalism is collapsing. These are the remarks Hedges made to open the discussion. Karl Marx exposed the peculiar dynamics of capitalism, or what he called “the bourgeois mode of production.” He foresaw that capitalism had …

Economic Update – Profit-Driven Capitalism – 05.17.15

In this edition of Economic Update, we look at Verizon’s purchase of AOL, why Facebook’s “contribution” to ending inequality falls so short, how latest $$ gift to Yale increases inequality, how UK elections reflect “scapegoat economics, and why deadly Mediterranean migrations reflect capitalism’s globally uneven development. We also respond to listener questions on (1) Americans’ attitudes toward income and wealth inequality by our analysis of recent Gallup Polls and (2) whether student debts can lead to reduced Social Security benefits and what that means. This edition’s major discussions (1) build on “sharing unemployment” to show how we can combine respect for our natural environment with a fair sharing of the leisure that could result, and (2) analyze the significance of recent guilty pleas by major banks for manipulating currency exchange rates for their private profit.

Project Censored – 04.28.15

This week’s program offers two perspectives on global capitalism and permanent war. Sociologist William Robinson makes the case that the present state of capitalism may be a “systemic crisis,” something not seen in centuries. Then peace advocate Kathy Kelly relates her experiences, from Afghanistan to US prisons, and refutes the notion of”humanitarian war.”
William Robinson teaches Sociology at UC Santa Barbara. Kathy Kelly is the founder of Voices for Creative Nonviolence.