These Tuesday evenings will each begin with an update and analysis of major economic events of the last month and their contexts of longer-term economic trends shaping politics and society here and abroad. We will focus on the evolving global capitalist economic crisis and its consequences. We will examine topics such as

Broadcast Date: 30 Oct. 2011 Watch on YouTube

Thousands of Americans have been occupying Wall Street for weeks. Is this the start of the American revolution?

They say they are defending the 99 percent of Americans against the wealthiest 1 percent who control 50 percent of America's wealth.

Since the 2008 financial crisis, which was caused by the financial sector, the US economy has been in and out of recession. Thousands of people have lost their jobs, real wages are declining and benefits have been cut.

Brief updates cover China's latest financial interventions in Europe, Greece scapegoated as France and Germany deflect domestic attention and criticism of their austerity programs, comparison of European and US crisis-coping mechanisms, and poor US showing on OECD social justice indicators. We air the first part of fascinating interview with Occupy Wall Street activist Christina Towne on how and why she got involved. The second part - Towne's views on how and where OWS is developing as a movement - will be aired Nov. 12.

”Pystymme parempaan kuin kapitalismi”

Pääoman ylivaltaa vastustavat mielenosoitukset ovat levinneet jo Wall Streetiltä Eurooppaan. Amerikkalaisprofessori Richard D. Wolff uskoo, että tästä alkaa vasemmiston uusi nousu.

Syyskuun 17. päivänä alkanut Occupy Wall Street -tapahtuma on kerännyt New Yorkiin tuhansia ihmisiä, joille nykyinen talousjärjestelmä ei kelpaa.

”Tuuli on kääntynyt”, sanoo professori Richard D. Wolff. Hän vastaa puhelimeen kotonaan New Yorkin West Villagessa aamukahvia hörppien.

Talouselämän haastattelu on päivän ensimmäinen.

  In the below animation and audio presentation, Wolff explains what class is all about and applies that understanding to the foreclosure crisis of 2007–2011. He argues that class concerns the "way our society splits up the output [and] leaves those who get the profits in the position of deciding and figuring out what to do with them...

Updates on recent OECD reports on social justice, poverty, education and taxing offshore wealth across 31 countries with focus on US, on China's funding on European bailout and purchase of Saab, on the European leaders scapegoating Greece to divert attention from their own austerity programs, and on comparing US and European responses to the global capitalist crisis. Analysis of just released Congressional Budget Office report on "Trends in the Distribution of Household Income, 1979-2007" proving how 1% top income receivers gained at the expense of other 99%.

Jared Bernstein, senior fellow, Center on Budget and Policy Priorities

I think the authors are absolutely on the right track. and they’re smart to get outside the usual constraints—they essentially ignore issues like “shovel ready” or how our economy could actually absorb $240 billion a year in new infrastructure projects without trying to drink from a firehose. They say we will help underwater-mortgage holders who can ultimately service their loans but not the ones who can’t, when, of course, it’s not obvious which is which.

Richard Wolff, Economics Professor and one of David's former professors, joins in on The David Pakman Show to dispel conservative propaganda about why rising income inequality isn't a bad thing, and explains the nuts and bolts of why significant income inequality negatively affects the economy. After viewing the clips visit our Election Central 2012 page and participate in our 3 part election survey.

Richard Wolff discusses the crisis of capitalism, how the US became so unequal--and why he believes revolution, not reform, is in order.