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Latest Releases

Recovery hype: American Capitalism's Weapon of Mass Distraction

This article originally appeared at The Guardian. | From President Obama on down, defenders of the status quo insist that the US economy has "recovered" or "is recovering". Some actually see the world that way. They inhabit, imagine they inhabit, or plan to soon inhabit the world of the infamous top 1%.... Read more

Organized Labor's Decline in the US Is Well-Known. But What Drove It?

This article originally appeared at The Guardian. | Organized labor's decline in the US over the past half century is well-known; what drove that decline, less so. The New Deal's enemies – big business, Republicans, conservatives – had... Read more

Detroit's Decline Is a Distinctively Capitalist Failure

This article originally appeared at The Guardian. | A Catalan translation of this article is available at Espai Fàbrica. Capitalism as a system ought to be judged by its failures as well as its successes. Read more

How Capitalism's Great Relocation Pauperized America's 'Middle Class'

This article originally appeared at The Guardian. | Detroit's struggle with bankruptcy might find some relief, or at least distraction, by presenting its desperate economic and social conditions as a tourist attraction. "Visit Detroit," today's advertisement might begin, "see your region's future here and now: the streets... Read more

Capitalism, Democracy, and Elections

This article originally appeared here, at Monthly Review's MRZine. | Capitalism and real democracy never had much to do with one another. In contrast, formal voting in elections has worked nicely for capitalism. After all, elections have rarely posed, let alone decided, the question of capitalism: whether voters prefer it... Read more

News & Newsworthy

This section is dedicated to D@W appearances, op-eds and articles by our contributors. D@W is not affiliated directly with these organizations, companies or entities.

The Socialist Program: How Can the Labor Movement Keep up the Momentum?

On this episode Walter Smolarek and Prof. Wolff mark Labor Day with a discussion on how workers are fighting back with intensity not seen in many years. From UPS to academic workers to writers and actors, major labor struggles have been erupting nationwide in a revolt against mounting inequality and... Read more

Twenty-First Century Socialism: What It Will Become and Why

Article by Harriet Fraad and Richard D. Wolff The real left is not the caricature crafted by the U.S. right. Alongside parallel right-wing political formations abroad, that caricature tries hard to revive and recycle Cold War demonizations no matter how far-fetched. Nor is the real left what Democratic Party leaders and their foreign counterparts try... Read more

Dialogue Works: This is a Historical Shift

Prof Wolff joins Dialogue Works to discuss global economic shifts. Read more

The Socialist Program: BRICS Expansion Shakes Western-dominated World Order

Prof. Wolff joins Brian Becker to discuss the BRICS summit in Johannesburg, which resulted in the historic expansion of the bloc. With six new members, will the BRICS be able to mount a more formidable challenge to the dominance of Washington and Wall Street over international finance and diplomacy? What does... Read more

WBAI: Live on the Fly with Randy Credico

Prof Wolff joins Live on the Fly with Randy Credico for a discussion on the WBAI radio program. Read more

Open Magazine: Expansion of BRICS - a Huge Setback to the World Order Dominated by the US

Thanks to six new members, BRICS represents more than half of the world’s population and 43% of global oil production Read more

The Socialist Program: Debt Is Crushing U.S. Workers

Prof. Wolff joins Brian Becker to discuss the alarming pace of rising defaults on auto loans as hundreds of thousands of consumers face mounting bills amid surging new car prices. Read more

Zero Hour: What Can the Trump Drama Teach Us?

Prof Wolff joins Zero Hour with RJ Eskow to discuss the the Trump phenomenon in a larger, historical perspective: what does it mean? Read more

Robinson's Podcast: What's Wrong With Capitalism?

Robinson and Prof Wolff discuss his criticisms of capitalism. They begin with why mainstream economists dismiss Marx and then move on to the basics of economics, the problems of our capitalist system, and the myriad social issues we face today. Read more

The Critical Hour: Trump Indictment, US Credit Rating

Richard Wolff joins Garland Nixon and Wilmer Leon on The Critical Hour to discuss this week's important stories. Former President Donald Trump has been indicted, the US credit rating has been lowered, and most Americans cannot cover a 400-dollar bill. Read more

Essential Reading

Understanding Marxism

If you want to understand capitalism in order to make society better, then understanding Marx’s analysis is fundamental in drawing your attention to capitalist production’s core conflict: class struggle. It is everywhere, and it influences everything and everyone in our society. Marx is the theoretician who first explained it systematically. He was a social critic for whom capitalism signified not the end of human history, but the latest phase that badly needed a transition to something better. Buy Here →

The Sickness is the System

The coronavirus pandemic, economic crash, political divisions, and social tensions have plunged the declining American capitalist system into chaos. In this collection of over 50 unique essays, Prof. Wolff argues that a mere return to normalcy is inadequate to tackle the accumulated problems of US capitalism. Buy Here →

Understanding Socialism

Understanding Socialism tackles the taboos and unveils the often hidden histories of socialism, but most importantly it offers a way forward: a socialism built on democracy in the workplace. A blend of history, analysis and opinion, Understanding Socialism is an honest and approachable text that knocks down false narratives, confronts failures, and offers a path to a new socialism based on workplace democracy. Buy Here →