Richard D. Wolff

I am a U.S. History teacher at a high school that has a business and finance academy. I got the idea that I would like to incorporate a unit on worker self-directed enterprises somehow in the business academy. Is there a curriculum I could use to teach this alternative business model in high school?

I just listen to your program on housing. One point I never heard discussed is about how regressive property taxes are. Essentially a property tax is a tax on the value of the property that you own, your property "wealth". Most home owners have a mortgage where the bank owns much of your home, so you are therefore paying a wealth tax on wealth that the bank actually owns. For most Americans, most of their wealth is tied up in their home, but for the wealthy their home (or homes) is usually a small percentage of their total wealth. Therefore a typical American that still owes 50% of his home's value on his mortgage and say pays 5% property tax is actually paying a 10% wealth tax. (You own a $200,000 home but owe $100,000 on the mortgage. You pay $10,000 for a 5% property tax. This is 10% of the actual property wealth you own.) A rich person who only has 10% of his wealth tied up in his home and the rest in financial assets is paying at a 0.5% wealth tax rate. The wealthiest Americans really pay the lowest rates of our only yearly wealth tax. Is this a correct deduction?

Each day I get numerous requests to sign petitions and make contributions to worthy causes. The irony is that it for every problem that is solved, three or more others replace it: WHAT IS THE ROOT CAUSE OF THIS ABSURD SITUATION? The answer is that there are no limits on the total possible wealth one person can accumulate, resulting in the most ambitious wealth-owners being the owners of political power: A person with a billion dollars has 100,000 times more power to lobby and influence politics than a person with $10,000. Indeed, a person seriously dedicated to the 'prime directive' of maximizing his wealth MUST do everything he can to get away with to make that happen, including lying, stealing, cheating, killing, bribing in the form of paying off as many political leaders as they can and even getting them to make laws so as to make this legal, even perverting the whole political, economic, and social system. This leads to increasing destruction of any meaningful sort of democracy. It is the root cause of climate change, war, media control and most of the injustices that pervades this system. If that root cause is not eliminated, it will only become worse. So, if one wants to address the problem, he must work undoing its root cause, rather than a few of its 10,000 effects. A solution to most of the complex problems would come of itself if there were a limit to any individual’s total wealth. Although the minds of many people may at this time not be ready to consider this, the fact that many are now considering seriously a socialist approach as feasible is an indication that the mentality is changing. By educating people (including most economists, who seem to dogmatically accept that the system CANNOT be changed), that will set the wheels of change into motion. So, the question is: should there be a cap on total accumulated wealth? Would that have other effects that would be worse than those of the present system?

Hi, as a strong believer of a free and decent world for every one, I would like you to mention about other options like "JackesFresco's" ideas or the one I would like you to talk about, I hope very soon, which is happening since a while ago in the country of Mondragon's Coop. I am talking about Marinaleda's village and its very peculiar system. Here is a link to help you out on finding out what is going on that village. Thank you very much!

I would be interested in Professor Wolff's opinion on the establishment of a single global currency. Get rid of the US dollar, British pound, Japanese Yen sort of like they did in the European Union with the Euro but on a global scale. So a dollar in New York is the same as a dollar in Beijing or London. Thanks

Why did the Soviet Union fall? Why in satellite photos are there no lights in North Korea, yet South Korea is full of lights?

10 early Soviet films are being aired monthly at the L.A. worker's center. Radio spot was short and the best online resource for further information is: www.hollywoodprogressive.com With the 100 anniversary of the russian revolution these classic films are a inspiration and opportunity to meet other likeminded people.

Interesting story from a Canadian who had a company in Mexico for 6 years. The PRI party passed the presidency around between the top 18 Mexican 0.1% families for 70+ years. The only way to 'break in' was to either marry in, or kow-tow your way into the 0.1%. Carlos Slim (a descendant of the Lebanese who emigrated to Mexico in the 1920-30's) did very well buying Mexican businesses during downturns and selling them during upswings, but he also courted many politicians and in the 1990's had the chance to buy Telmex (controlling 90% of all phone lines) and Telcel (80% of mobile lines) at a bargain price and then raise the rates to bilk the average citizen. Most of his astounding wealth came from Telmex and Telcel profits. Interestingly, like so many others of the ultrarich money-hoarders, Carlos cannot stop obsessing about making MORE money every day. He is still working daily in his 70's. He cannot help himself as he is an OCD/ADHD, hyper-conservative personality type. They all are, and probably he's a narcissistic psychopath as most of these individuals (see: Donald Trump) are. The 99% need to insist on laws to control these personality types as they cannot help themselves from doing what they do -- NOT because they need the cash, but because they are hard wired from birth to be power/money hoarders. They are addicts and need to be treated as such. ;-)

If we had a society that had: strong unions to make sure that wages tracked with increasing productivity; high, mid-century-style marginal tax rates for the rich; universal and high-quality free public services; and intervention to minimise the severity of crashes, is that a society that needs to be radically changed by eliminating private property? I suppose my question is, for a young person, do you think it's worthwhile to think about ways that those sort of reforms could be implemented again, and made more resilient? Or, even if those reforms could be revived and made sustainable, would that society still be unlivable because most people are still subject to hierarchical control at work? (Or, is it impossible to make those reforms sustainable and resilient?) I ask because I'm a supporter of a social democratic labour party, and am agonising about moving to a more radical position. Thanks for all the great work that you do.

I suggested that if it were poured by a socialist model business than there are more people who could suggest a change of product, and in a capitalist model only those with owner authority can do so, and if it was their policy to begin with, then it is to the detriment of everyone if they choose not to change it. What is your take on this meme?

I'll pick up your personal (w/ Resnick) book on the Soviet Union for sure, but what other books should I read? Thank you, Prof Wolff.

Good Day, Professor Wolff, I am writing from Tampa, FL. The future of our healthcare situation in the US is of great concern. I have heard you often mention cooperative businesses. The mutual aid societies of Tampa during the earlier part of the 20th century helped many receive "cradle to grave" care. These were pretty much medical cooperatives. I am wondering if this is possibly a future solution to our healthcare economic crisis. Please watch this short video by the Honorable E.J. Salcines. I'd be very interested in hearing your thoughts on this. These societies took care of many of my ancestors in Tampa and I'm thinking if it worked then, could it work now? Thank you. Maria R., Tampa, FL https://youtu.be/ZjKawQ8DGTo

Hello again Professor Wolff. I think you'll find this segment from tonight's 60 Minutes interesting: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/are-u-s-jobs-vulnerable-to-workers-with-h-1b-visas/?ftag=CNM-00-10aab7d&linkId=35629150

When you are talking about distribution of wealth and surplus in a society what is the border of that society?