Richard D. Wolff

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/jul/18/cope-capitalism-failed-factory-workers-greek-workplace-control?CMP=share_btn_fb

https://db.tt/loR8bzm30n

The left, it seems, should be focused on depriving malignant forces of their lifeblood, which is money. Even though demand in the USA is losing power, due to decades of stagnant wages, USAmericans are still a consumption-directed people. Boycotts should be the biggest tool, given strikes are basically illegal, in many cases, and lack effectiveness due to their parochial, secular nature. (Strikes should ripple throughout the system through mass participation, but are too local now.) Why don't we have online access to support employee-owned cooperatives? Shouldn’t we be buying from co-ops rather than Amazon? Most liberals and even lefties will say that they don’t focus on production, but I think it's clear, even from reading your website, that they do. This could be the result of reacting to reactionaries, whose ridiculous belief in Ayn-Randism pumps up the value of “producer”/capitalists while devaluing the consumer/worker. Will Galt go on strike? Who cares? Consumers can strike first by being somewhat discriminating for a change. As a group, they have much more power.

This short film https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3G72LRqMn9M (trailer) describes the central role of work as being a service to others, and as a consequence, people are valued. These two things are vital for an economy to function healthily, but these two things are mostly missing from our current system, and in their place is a lust for money. What are your thoughts on this faith-based world view to economic health that is based on relationships between people? And how do you think this approach could help fuel a shift in thinking regarding our consumeristic economic system? Also, can I send you the full short film, because the trailer doesn’t do it justice?

I've recently been troubled by this concept of labour and labour-power. As I've come to understand, labour-power is one's capacity to work, quantitatively measured by time. Labour is, on the other hand, is the physical act of working itself. However, I wonder if you could explain how labour and labour-power are exchanged as commodities and the significance of the differentiation of such concept.

I've recently been troubled by this concept of labour and labour-power. As I've come to understand, labour-power is one's capacity to work, quantitatively measured by time. Labour is, on the other hand, is the physical act of working itself. However, I wonder if you could explain how labour and labour-power are exchanged as commodities and the significance of the differentiation of such concept.

This week's NYTimes has an article about the CA housing crisis and many commenters blame prop 13 or excessive immigration, or restrictive zoning regulations or lack of transit, etc. They think the way to solve it is to build higher density, but I'm not sure that will solve the problem; the demand is just too great. This problem is particularly acute in coastal cities, with NYC having its own version of this housing shortage. What is really behind this, and what can be done to resolve it? Is rent stabilization the answer? Here's the article: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/17/us/california-housing-crisis.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=story-heading&module=second-column-region®ion=top-news&WT.nav=top-news

I am convinced the ruling class has been pushing this idea MAINLY to transition their control of the world's electricity supply from petroleum and coal to Uranium-based nuclear power, something they can control because of it's connection to nuclear weapons. A very informative video of Allan Savory giving a talk on TedTalks ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vpTHi7O66pI ) has recently come to my attention and now I am convinced, since his thesis of the true cause of climate change being desertification has been proven and known for decades now, that the reason the ruling class ignores his prescription for a solution that would not only solve the climate change problem, but would also solve many other problems such as feeding a growing population with what many people like the most, meat, that they don't want his solution now because a changing climate can help them rehabilitate the public image of nuclear power. The silence from the media and their lords of capitalism on desertification is deafening given the supposed crisis they cry like banshees over. I am convinced this means their agenda MUST be not about money per se, but about power: the real means of controlling society, to paraphrase Frank Herbert's Baron Harkonnen, "Who controls the electricity, controls the world." Thank you

Could you provide a show segment devoted to how one might start a union, for example, at a non-profit university currently not represented? Such topics might include, which organizations to turn to for support, which types of employees to organize, what to be careful of, how to discuss the topic to fellow employees, etc.

How great would it be if there was a currency that was back by moral human behavior, promoting acts of kindness! Well, some really brilliant individuals have created this very thing, I think that this would be something that would interest a lot of your viewers/readers! A new cryptocurrency utilizing minting process, backed by acts of kindness... https://ohmwallet.com/ https://youtu.be/DDvT4jHbuco?t=32m3s

Hi Professor Wolff. I enjoy your lectures and have recommended you to several friends and colleagues. While I agree with you on many of the points regarding our inefficient and overpriced healthcare system, I feel that your lumping in of physicians along with pharmaceutical companies, hospitals and medical insurance companies into the evil "medical-industrial complex" is misguided. First, we must acknowledge the current transition towards a system where thousands of doctors (including myself and dozens of colleagues) are now employed by a hospital or a large organization (Kaiser, Sutter, etc). We have ZERO role in setting the prices of our services, procedures or tests. The majority of us have gone through several years of extensive training (myself 11 years including medical school), have enormous medical school debt and are focused primarily on the well being of our patients. Of course, we expect to be well compensated for our expertise and services but most of us didn't choose this field to become millionaires. To compare us to or put us in the same entity as hospital CEOs, pharm CEOs and medical insurance CEOs (all of whom are obsessed with the bottom line and have extremely wealthy CEOs and administrators), is simply incorrect and misleading to your audience. Of course, there are still many doctors in private practice who set the prices for their visits and services. Remember that in addition to med school bills that they have to pay for office rent, an office manager, a biller, a medical assistant, etc. Are there bad apples? Of course there are in every field but I would venture to say only a small minority of these private practice doctors are crooks who purposefully create unfair prices or perform unnecessary procedures to become wealthy. It addition, unless it's a rare cash only practice, the final compensation tends to be dictated by what the insurance company decides to pay. In conclusion, I agree with the majority of your criticisms with our inefficient and expensive healthcare system. I agree that hospitals, medical insurance companies, and pharm/medical device companies operate in a capitalistic and monopolistic way that can adversely affect patients. But, the majority of doctors are not a part of this evil medical-industrial complex that you describe.

Spanish economist Jesus Huerta de Soto wrote a book titled "SOCIALISM, ECONOMIC CALCULATION AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP" in which he examines many types of socialism. On page 98 he discusses something called "Conservative Socialism or Right Wing Socialism". The description can remind one of plutocracy, corporate welfare or even Nazism. In my view this would be a good topic not just for your great show but also for progressives the world over to discuss. Thank you- Justin Beck

...if you have not covered it already? It is the special circumstances of the exploitation of the elderly. They are often in poor health, defenseless and vulnerable; some of them are dying as a result. I myself was evicted by a corporation at the age of 70, and lived in my car for ten months. That experience led me to wonder how such things could happen, and I have learned SO much from the work of both you and Chris Hedges. Thank you, VirginiaL

As a man in my mid-20s, I've found that the need for healthcare benefits is one of the most important factors in where people seek to work, often leading to jobs that prove abusive or unfulfilling.r I've also found that obtaining quality healthcare deters people from self-employment/starting small businesses. Are there any studies of how career paths are effected by government vs. employer/private healthcare?

There is an interesting video piece that Abby Martin made on Venezuela (link below). Can you please give an explanation on what is going on in Venezuela and how socialist policies play into the "economic war". https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YUYWrPiUeWY Thank you, I am a huge fan and a patreon subscriber.