d@w Inc.

Latest Releases

This article originally appeared at The Guardian. | Barack Obama speaking in March 2013 about the sequester, the automatic spending cuts mandated by Congress. Photograph: Carolyn Kaster/AP Read more

US Political Dysfunction and Capitalism’s Withdrawal

This article originally appeared at e-International Relations. | After 200 years of concentrating its centers in western Europe, north America, and Japan, capitalism is moving most of its centers elsewhere and especially to China, India, Brazil and so on. This movement poses immense problems of transition at both poles. The... Read more

US Politics' True Bipartisan Consensus: Capitalism is Untouchable

This article originally appeared at The Guardian. | The economic aim of both major US political parties is, in the end, the same: to protect and reinforce the capitalist system. Read more

Capitalism Works (or Not) for Me

This article originally appeared at Truth-out. | Curators of New York City’s annual arts festival called us a couple of months ago. Would we be interested in having a public discussion with the artist, Steve Lambert, whose work was a major part of this year’s festival? The festival’s title is... Read more

What GOP-Tea Party Risks With Block of New New Deal

This article originally appeared at Truthout. | Many Germans in the years before 1933 dismissed the little man with the mustache: He could never take power, let alone keep it. Tzarist Russia’s elites thought the small social democratic party posed little threat. Batista’s minions ridiculed the lawyer and his friends...... Read more

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.

Project Censored: Empowerment Beyond the Strike

In this interview with Prof Wolff on the Project Censored radio show, the discussion focuses on two-tiered worker systems in various industries, the implications for both corporations and workers, and recent strikes and labor union tactics. The conversation also touches on the potential for worker cooperatives to empower employees and... Read more

The David Lin Report: The Great Capitalism Vs. Socialism Debate - Arthur Laffer & Richard Wolff

Prof Wolff debates Arthur Laffer on the David Lin Report in a discussion comparing capitalism and socialism in the context of the U.S. economy. They explore topics such as economic performance, income inequality, taxation, and government intervention. Wolff emphasizes the need to question the organization of workplaces, while Laffer advocates... Read more

The Backstory: Auto Worker Strike and the Fight for Fair Wages

Prof Wolff joins The Backstory in a discussion about the ongoing auto worker strike, highlighting income inequality, economic crashes, and rising inflation as key concerns. Workers are demanding cost-of-living pay raises, reflecting a broader movement for change in the capitalist system. Read more

The Socialist Program: Inflation and the Next Crash

Prof. Wolff and Brian Becker discuss the criminal inaction of the White House and Congress against inflation and the rising costs of basic goods we need to live. Read more

Dialogue Works: Obsolete Notions of Capitalism and Socialism

Prof. Wolff joins Dialogue Works to discuss the evolving concept of socialism in the 21st century, emphasizing the shift away from traditional definitions. Instead, the focus is on transforming workplaces into democratic communities, where every worker has an equal say in decision-making. This vision of socialism, centered on workplace democracy,... Read more

Dialogue Works: China's Hybrid Economic System and Its Achievements

Prof. Wolff joins Dialogue Works to delve into the intricacies of China's economic evolution, delving into the multifaceted nature of China's socialist-inspired, market-driven economic model. Examining its historical roots, unique blend of state intervention and private enterprise, and its global impact, Prof. Wolff provides valuable insights into the dynamics shaping... Read more

Zero Hour: A Radical Rethink of the Housing Crisis

Prof Wolff joins Zero Hour with RJ Eskow to discuss the ongoing housing crisis in the United States, shedding light on the systemic issues plaguing the housing market and advocating for a government-led approach to address the issue. Read more

Dialogue Works: The G20 Summit Dominated by the Presence of an Absence

Joining Dialogue Works, Prof Wolff delves into the G20 Summit's outcomes and missed opportunities, as well as the absence of the leaders of Russia and China. Read more

The Socialist Program: STRIKE! Autoworkers Are Ready!

Prof Wolff and Brian Becker engage in a discussion about the impending possibility of a massive strike. The contract for approximately 150,000 United Auto Workers (UAW) members is scheduled to expire this Thursday, and the union members are steadfastly demanding fair compensation and protection against mass layoffs. However, the Big... Read more

Dialogue Works: The US Economic War on China and BRICS

Prof Wolff and Dialogue Works discuss the ongoing economic conflict between the United States and China, offering valuable insights into the global implications, China's unique economic system, and the need for fresh approaches in today's evolving world. 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 →