Questioning the Logic of Capital: A Conversation With Richard D. Wolff

This article originally appeared at Truthout.org.

Written by Vaios Triantafyllou

Richard D. Wolff is professor of economics emeritus at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, where he taught economics from 1973 to 2008. He is currently a visiting professor in the Graduate Programs in International Affairs at the New School University in New York City. In this interview, Wolff discusses how market-based economies have had their critics since the times of Plato and Aristotle, how both major US political parties have become subservient to the gospel of capitalism and how technology isn’t always constructive. This interview has been edited for clarity and length.

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2018 WRAP-UP Economist Richard Wolff Interview

Prof. Wolff joins Status Coup to talk about the latest economic news and trends. 

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A Sad Christmas Message: Homelessness in America is Growing. But Why?

Prof. Wolff joins Loud & Clear's Brian Becker and John Kiriakou to discuss homelessness in America. 

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We Need a More Humane Economic System—Not One That Only Benefits the Rich

Prof. Wolff joins Amy Goodman and Juan Gonzalez of Democracy Now to discuss the current economic crisis, from the stock market fluctuations to the partial federal government shutdown.

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Economic Update: What Elections Hide

[S8 E26]

This week on Economic Update, Professor Wolff delivers updates on LA’s vote on public bank; contradictions of Trump's “nationalism," big business’ criticism of tariffs and how...READ MORE


Economic Update: Cooperation Jackson: A Closer Look

[S8 E25]

This week on Economic Professor Wolff delivers updates on a massive international study of profit-driven food production, the huge costs of contemporary loneliness, the police raid of Deutsche Bank, falling house prices, Belgium...READ MORE


Richard Wolff: There Are No Blueprints for Revolution

This article originally appeared at Truthout.org.

In this interview, Prof. Wolff discusses how the revolutions that overthrew feudalism laid the foundations for our current crisis of capitalism, why historical models of socialism put into practice failed, and what lessons we can learn from them in creating a new socialism.

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Boom Bust: One Year after the "Tax Cuts and Jobs Act"

Richard D. Wolff joins Boom Bust to talk about the economy a year after the "Tax Cuts and Jobs Act" was signed.

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Economic Update: The Great American Purge

[S8 E24]

This week’s episode of Economic Update is a little different from the usual program. Professor Wolff begins by explaining the economics behind the great U.S. anti-leftist purge (“McCarthyism”) after 1945. It then shows...READ MORE

 

 


Prof. Wolff on Colorado Radio KGNU

Prof. Wolff joins Jim Banks from KGNU Radio in Boulder, Colorado to talk about the state of the economy two years into the Trump administration.

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You Need Marx To Understand Brexit ft. Richard Wolff

Prof. Wolff joins The Michael Brooks Show to talk Brexit and the Marxist critique of the global economy. 

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China threatens economic collapse, Trump caves

Prof. Wolff joins RT America’s Rick Sanchez to talk about his predictions about the G20 and analyze Trump’s “blundering” trade policies.

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Economic Update: Why Capitalism Demonizes Government

Updates on UK war on "Unexplained Wealth," why capitalism needs yet attacks government, historical reality of low wages in US, cozy deals between...READ MORE


Amazon Gets $3 Billion in NY Tax Breaks While Underfunded Public Transport Enters 'Death Spiral'

Prof. Richard Wolff joins The Real News Network to explain why the $3 billion subsidy for one of the world's largest corporations is a terrible waste of public money.

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Economic Update: US Midterm Elections

Prof. Wolff presents updates on how China hits back economically; capitalism surviving in Italy through explosive debt creation; why lotteries have...READ MORE


Global Capitalism: November 2018 Economic Update

The Economic Consequences of the Election - What Can We Expect?

with Richard D. Wolff 
Co-sponsored by Democracy at Work, Left Forum & Judson Memorial Church

These programs begin with 30 minutes of short updates on important economic events of the last month, then Prof. Wolff analyzes several major economic issues. For November 2018, these issues will include...READ MORE


The Narrowness of Mainstream Economics Is About to Unravel

This article appeared originally at Truthout.org

Recent extreme volatility and sharp drops in US stock markets underscore the instability of capitalism yet again. As many commentators now note, another economic downturn looms. We know that all the reforms and regulations imposed in the wake of the Great Depression of the 1930s failed to prevent both smaller downturns between 1941 and 2008 and then another big crash in 2008. Capitalism’s instability has, for centuries, resisted all efforts to overcome it with or without government interventions. Yet mainstream economics mostly evades an honest confrontation with the social costs of such economic instability. Worse, it evades a direct debate with the Marxian critique that links those costs to an argument that system change would be the best and most “efficient” solution.

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Economic Update: Follow the Money

This week’s episode of Economic Update features updates from Prof. Wolff on profits-vs-science and weedkiller “roundup,” most Americans not better off than in 2016, WHO reports bans on corporal punishment of...READ MORE


Economic Update: US "Sugar Arrangements” Industry

On this week's show, Prof. Wolff presents updates on latest foreign and US elections, the CEA document against socialism, growing inequality of billionaires’ wealth, army represses report on...READ MORE


How Capitalism Has Screwed Women Over

This article originally appeared at Huffpost.com.

It’s been one year since the explosion of the Me Too movement that followed allegations against Harvey Weinstein. Since then, the #metoo hashtag has been used around 19 million times to expose and discuss workplace sexual harassment.  

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Markets ‘Overdue For Correction’ - RT America

With markets in apparent decline, some analysts are worried that we are nearing market-correction or even full-scale recession. Prof. Wolff joins RT America’s Rick Sanchez to share his insights and expertise, arguing that Trump’s fiscal policies amount to “feathering his own nest” and will ultimately damage the economy.

 

 

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Prof. Wolff on Primo Nutmeg

Prof. Wolff joins Primo Nutmeg to discuss the history of Marxism, political semantics, varieties of socialism, the morality of capitalism, worker co-ops, if a free society would have one economic dogma, and whether or not a coalition between lefitists and libertarians is possible.

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Economic Update: Virginia Elects a Socialist

On this week's show, Prof. Wolff presents updates on political economy of Trump/GOP attacks on China and their long term costs; parallel analysis of attacks on immigrants;  Michelle Alexander on...READ MORE

What’s the lottery really all about?

Prof. Wolff talks with Loud & Clear's Brian and John about lottery fever. The multi-state Mega Millions lottery jackpot stands at more than $1.6 billion. 

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White House Panics Over Socialism’s Popularity

Prof. Wolff joins KPFK's Rising Up with Sonali Kolhatkar to talk about the growing attraction to the ideas of socialism among the American public.

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