Economic Update Episode List: Season 11

Anti-Mandate is NOT Anti-Vaccine

On this week's show, Prof. Wolff presents updates on Columbia University grad student strike, the contradictions of 2021, Cuba's Covid vaccine, Trump clone and French politics' lesson, why US manufacturing jobs keep vanishing, why capital-labor struggles affect high and low-paid workers alike: the baseball lockout, and Mitt Romney's 100% hypocritical attack on Dalio's China investments.

Guest: Robert Hennelly

December 2021 (Season 11 - Episode 47)

Ecology, Co-ops & Profit

On this week's show, Prof. Wolff presents a critique of obscene wealth in the US and the economics of the rape crisis in the US and UK. The second half of the show features an interview with author Bob Hennelly, on the anti-mandate vs anti-vaccine confusion and the debate over Democratic Party losses and strategies.

Guest: Prof. Melissa Scanlan

December 2021 (Season 11 - Episode 46)

Class Struggles in the US Today

On this week's show, Prof. Wolff presents updates on 50 years of fossil fuel corps putting profits before science, CVS to close 900 drugstores as part of decline of US workers living standards, FBI lies in Malcolm X assassination, and huge estate tax cuts for US rich. On the second half of the show, Prof. Wolff interviews Prof. Melissa Scanlan on her new book showing how coops are a better bet than traditional capitalist corporations to solve current ecological crises.

No Guest

December 2021 (Season 11 - Episode 45)

Imagining a Different Economy

On this week's show, Prof. Wolff talks about teacher burnout economics, inflation as an employer-employee fight, the "labor shortage" isn't, "Build Back Better" does not begin to approach what Europe already has, the basic political economy of last November's elections, the critique of obscene wealth.

Guest: Prof. David McNally

November 2021 (Season 11 - Episode 44)

Chris Hedges & US Prisons

On this week's show, Prof. Wolff presents updates on his recent debate with Ayn Rand Institute on capitalism vs socialism, inflation in Europe, an analysis of right vs left splitting in the US today, and real vs fake causes of energy price inflation. The second half of the show features an interview with David McNally, Prof. University of Houston, on lessons of capitalism's history.

Guest: Chris Hedges

November 2021 (Season 11 - Episode 43)

On this week's show, Prof. Wolff presents updates on South Dakota leads US to become world's #2 "tax haven," pandemic's economic shock cut by very uncapitalistic means, why employers want the govt to pay workers to go back to work, and how libertarians mistake puppets for puppeteers. The second half of the show features an interview with Chris Hedges on lessons for us from US prisons and prisoners.

Germany Shifts Left

No Guest

November 2021 (Season 11 - Episode 42)

On this week's show, Prof. Wolff presents updates on Biden's and Democrats' fading tax reforms, German and Austrian politics shift left, Yale sells out to rich donors, product shortages often deliberate, wages for housework, and real US food inflation.

A Story of War

Guest: Prof. Talia Lugacy

November 2021 (Season 11 - Episode 41)

China & Inflation: Real Analyses, Not BS

On this week's show, Prof. Wolff discusses how Amazon rips off small business and squeezes workers, US and China's military tactics, top mainstream economists grasp the deepening critique of capitalism, and how strikes at Nabisco and Kellogg expose capitalism's classic contours of class struggle. The second half of the show features an interview with Prof. Talia Lugacy on her new independent film This is Not a War Story released by Warner Media HBO Max.

No Guest

November 2021 (Season 11 - Episode 40)

Cornel West on "Black Prophetic Fire"

The program's first half focuses on the realities of China's rise and not the Cold War rhetoric. The second half analyzes the inflation now threatening the US economy. Its causes and consequences turn out to be quite different from the mainstream media treatments of the subject.

Guest: Dr. Cornel West

October 2021 (Season 11 - Episode 39)

On this week's show, Prof. Wolff presents updates on the strengths of socialism in German elections, British and US public opinion; and the US policies that are impoverishing its Puerto Rican colony. The second half of the show features an interview with Dr. Cornel West, with special attention to the contradictory realities of Harvard University, the public health failure of US policy toward Covid, the hostility toward Haiti and Haitians, and China.

Signs of System Decline

No Guest

October 2021 (Season 11 - Episode 38)

Watch on YouTube | Read transcript here

On this week’s show, Prof. Wolff presents updates on the following topics: US wars lost: against Afghanistan, Iraq, and Covid; private profit from climate disaster; systemic infrastructure neglect; decline of whites in US; UK fears about US loss in Afghanistan; capitalism's profit-driven "long supply chains;" and lastly, workers power against employers in US today.

How U.S. Workers Are Really Treated

Guest: Tess Fraad-Wolff and Leila Roberts

October 2021 (Season 11 - Episode 37)

This week on Economic Update, Prof. Wolff pays homage to Mikis Theodorakis, Greek musician and political hero, and discusses Starbucks workers in Buffalo, the economic fallout of Supreme Court's anti-abortion act, what Hurricane Ida fatalities show, and the $8 trillion cost of US wars since 9/11. The second half of the show features an interview with Leila Roberts and Tess Fraad-Wolff on the harsh realities of US treatment of workers this Labor Day season, 2021.

Native Americans & American Socialists

Guest: David Cobb and Michelle Vassel

October 2021 (Season 11 - Episode 36)

Occupy Wall Street: Analysis & Legacy

On this week's show, Prof. Wolff present updates on global supply chain slow-downs; student costs/debts in US, UK far higher than in most peer nations; FED adds inflation to the ways its policies worsen income and wealth inequalities; and lastly, higher gun sales and violence since 1990s despite the dramatic declines in violent crime rate. The second half of the show features an interview with Michelle Vassel (administrator of Wiyot tribe) and David Cobb (Director of Cooperation Humboldt) on their ongoing political collaborations.

No Guest

September 2021 (Season 11 - Episode 35)

The Rational and Irrational in Anti-Vaxxers

This program is devoted to Occupy Wall Street (OWS) on its 10th anniversary. Prof. Wolff discusses OWS as a historic turning point, as legacy for the US left, and his personal experience. Wolff presents OWS's 4 basic causes, its anti-capitalist economics, and its lessons.

*This episode of Economic Update was developed as part of a collective effort to explore the legacy of Occupy, in light of this 10 year anniversary. Through this project you can also hear analysis on the impact of Occupy from The Dig & Upstream. The producing partners for this project are the Rosa Luxemburg Foundation’s New York office and The New School’s Milano program. We encourage you to learn more and listen to some of the other episodes by visiting RosaLux.NYC/Occupy.

No Guest

September 2021 (Season 11 - Episode 34)

20 Years After 9/11, the U.S. Is Still a "Stuck Nation"

On this week's show, Prof. Wolff presents updates on the complexities of anti-vaccination movements, the long decline of religion in US capitalism, Disneys’s shift to serve the richest, lessons from AFL-CIO chief Richard Trumka's leadership, and failures of GOP and Dem leaders to stop last 75 years of decline of manufacturing in the US economy (driven by corporate profitability).

Guest: Bob Hennelly

September 2021 (Season 11 - Episode 33)

Extremes of Rich & Poor in U.S. Capitalism

On this week's show, Prof. Wolff presents updates on Alabama miners' strike, how China's focus on reducing inequality affects competition with the US, and the economics of the "right to repair" consumers' movement in the US. The second half of the show features an interview with investigative reporter Bob Hennelly, author of Stuck Nation: Can the United States Change Course on Our History of Choosing Profits Over People?

No Guest

August 2021 (Season 11 - Episode 32)

Liberating Technology from Capitalism

This week on Economic Update, Prof. Wolff discusses the new US program for monthly child benefits; why Covid strengthens some and divides other nations; the myth of "labor shortage;" the real cost of ultra-luxury cruises; Uber and sexual assaults; and lastly, the outsized US costs of healthcare.

Guest: Wendy Liu

August 2021 (Season 11 - Episode 31)

Chile's Feminist Social Revolution

On this week's show, Prof. Wolff provides updates on two small labor victories (Vermont's AFL-CIO and 4000 pork-processing meat cutters in Sioux Falls), how global capitalism became even more unequal during the pandemic, Iceland's move to the 4-day work week, US students hobbled by debt, and why "labor shortage" is actually class war. On the second half of the show, Wolff interviews Wendy Liu, author of "Abolish Silicon Valley: How to Liberate Technology from Capitalism."

Guest: Rodrigo Roa Fernandez

August 2021 (Season 11 - Episode 30)

A US Left Rises to Remake the World

On this week's show, Prof. Wolff discusses the election of a socialist, African-American woman as new mayor in Buffalo, NY; US unemployment insurance's meager support for jobless; Teamsters target Amazon workers for union drive; veterans' suicides and the costs of US wars. On the second half of the show, Wolff interviews Rodrigo Roa Fernandez, Chilean revolutionary activist on his country's new feminist movement, Constituent Assembly, and new Constitution.

Guest: Astra Taylor

August 2021 (Season 11 - Episode 29)

Best Year's of US Lie in its Past

On this week's show, Prof. Wolff presents updates on the "Friends" reunion and what it teaches, how China outmaneuvers US tariffs, etc., and how Yellow Vests plus French unions defeated Macron "reforms." On the second half of the program, Wolff interviews Astra Taylor, filmmaker and debt rebellion activist.

Guest: Prof. August Nimtz

August 2021 (Season 11 - Episode 28)

Capitalism's Shrinking Popularity

On this week's show, Prof. Wolff talks about Chipotle Mexican Grill blaming its price increases on its workers, economist Arthur Laffer's claims that many poor, minority workers "not worth $15/hour." and false claims that lower taxes help economic growth while higher taxes hurt it. On the second half of the program, Wolff interviews August H. Nimtz, Jr. on today's crisis of a declining U.S. capitalism, its impacts and implications.

No Guest

July 2021 (Season 11 - Episode 27)

The Challenge of Progressive Unionism

On this week's show, Prof. Wolff discusses French voters abstaining (66%), and rejecting party establishments in the face of social crisis; Seattle City Council helps tenants with law changes as conservatives seek to recall progressive Council leader Sawan; growing US economic inequality cuts mass consumption and thus hurts US economy; June 2021 polls show capitalism losing, socialism gaining among US adults including Republicans; Washington Post columnist seeks to ban billionaires as bad for society.

Guest: David Van Deusen

July 2021 (Season 11 - Episode 26)

Inflation & Labor Shortages

On this week's show, Prof. Wolff discusses Wall Street money corrupting US elections and the facts of a declining US capitalism (wage stagnation driving inequality, rising health and education costs, falling real social security benefits, unequal wealth of people of color vs whites, gross worsening of US income and wealth inequalities). On the second half of the show, Prof. Wolff is joined by David Van Deusen, President of Vermont state AFL-CIO, to talk about the victories of progressive unionism.

No Guest

July 2021 (Season 11 - Episode 25)

How Capitalism Shapes Our Food

On this week's show, Prof Wolff talks about the social effects of inflation and the lack of accountability on the part of employers. Capitalist employers set prices with the only motive of maximizing. Employees, the vast majority, must live with inflation but are excluded from decisions setting prices. Employers scream “labor shortage” to get the government to force workers back to work at low wages. Employers also recover from economic crashes while undercutting workers’ efforts to do the same - and that's how capitalism works.

Guest: Mark Bittman

June 2021 (Season 11 - Episode 24)

Insurgent Working Class & Organization

In this episode, Prof. Wolff presents updates on the economic aspects of the Covid pandemic: lockdowns vs vaccines, scientific debate vs corporate advertising, long-term vs short term costs, the billionaires made by profiting from vaccines, and false claims of vaccine profiteers. In the second half of the show, Prof. Wolff is joined by former NY Times food-critic Mark Bittman to discuss his new book "Animal, Vegetable, Junk."

Guest: Prof. Manny Ness

June 2021 (Season 11 - Episode 23)

The Center Cannot Hold

In this week's show, Prof Wolff presents updates on the efforts to finally add dental, vision, and hearing coverage to Medicare, the effects of Trump's tariffs on China, and the contradictions between capitalist profiteering and healthcare. In the second half of the show, Wolff is joined by Professor Manny Ness to discuss worker insurgencies and political organizations in the global South today.

No Guest

June 2021 (Season 11 - Episode 22)

This program begins by analyzing the political monopoly (aka "The Center") operated by the GOP and Dems in the US: its organization and dominance until the last few years. The monopoly deteriorates as both GOP and Democrat coalitions suffer splits and cracks opening opportunities for radical political shifts and perhaps new parties. The context of a declining US capitalism facing mounting unsolved social problems adds to the winds of change as do pressures to resort to repression. Wolff affirms that the Center cannot hold.

A "Living Wage"

Guests: Prof. Carlo Fanelli and Prof. Bryan Evans

June 2021 (Season 11 - Episode 21)

Labor & Capitalism's Rise & Fall

On this week's show, Prof. Wolff comments on how and why "consumerism" matters and on why Biden's "progressive shift" is both like and unlike (far more limited so far) FDR's. Wolff then interviews two Canadian professors of labor studies, Carlo Fanelli and Bryan Evans, on the stakes for labor in fighting for a "living wage.

Guest: Prof. Michael Hillard

May 2021 (Season 11 - Episode 20)

Valuing Work by Women of Color

On this week's show, Prof. Wolff discusses Congress Bills H.R.51 giving statehood to Washington, DC, and H.R.1 countering GOP efforts to restrict voting; and Biden's tax reforms to help pay for new and expanded government programs. In the second half of the program, Wolff interviews Prof. Michael Hillard on the role of labor in the dramatic rise and fall of Maine's paper industry, a parable for the economic difficulties facing the US today.

Guest: Prof. Nina Banks

May 2021 (Season 11 - Episode 19)

Capitalism vs. Democracy

On this week's show, Prof. Wolff discusses Bernie Madoff's $ 82 billion swindles and capitalism's incentives for swindling, the economics of wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, US government's racist housing policies, and refuting the defense of capitalism as "lifting people out of poverty." On the second half of the show, Wolff is joined by Professor Nina Banks to talk about economics and correcting the undervaluing of community building work by women of color.

No Guest

May 2021 (Season 11 - Episode 18)

How US Capitalism Uses Nationalism

On this week's show, Prof. Wolff presents an analysis of how and why capitalism is an undemocratic economic system. The first half is devoted to the micro-level, namely to the organization of the enterprise (factory, office or store). Its undemocratic character is exposed using examples and empirical evidence. The second half has a macro-level focus that shows how capitalism's generation of growing income and wealth inequality impels the employer class (a small numerical minority) to use their money politically. Their practice undermines real democracy leaving only its empty forms.

No Guest

May 2021 (Season 11 - Episode 17)

From 1945 to 1990 we were told a great struggle pitted capitalism against socialism/communism (chiefly the USSR and China). Yet still today, US leaders demonize Russia and China despite the end of communism in the USSR and a huge growth of capitalist enterprises in China. The explanation lies in US capitalism's long history of using nationalism (i.e. foreign dangers) to justify tax-payer funded government actions to protect, subsidize, and support major capitalists' dominant position in the US economy.

A Green 3rd Party for the U.S.

Guest: Dr. Jill Stein

April 2021 (Season 11 - Episode 16)

Workers Successfully Take Over Their Workplaces

On this week's episode, Prof. Wolff talks about Rolls Royce's $400,000 cars, unionization defeat at Amazon, why Biden boom is just hype, and progressive wins in the New York state budget. On the second half of the show, Wolff welcomes Green Party leader Dr. Jill Stein to discuss the achievements and goals of an anti-capitalist 3rd party.

Guest: Prof. Marcelo Vieta

April 2021 (Season 11 - Episode 15)

Marxism's Ongoing Relevance

On this week's show, Prof. Wolff discusses how the US home rental market is failing over 20% of all renters, and the basic flaws in Biden's $2 trillion infrastructure proposal. On the second half of the show, Prof. Wolff interviews Prof. Marcelo Vieta on his studies of workers' success in taking over enterprises mismanaged by capitalists.

No Guest

April 2021 (Season 11 - Episode 14)

When Economic Systems Fail

After clearing away the Cold War debris that blocked discussion of Marxism's insights since 1945, we focus on Marxism's core contribution to (1) thinking about and (2) changing modern capitalist society. That contribution is class structure and class struggle. Marxism explores how class struggle exists in capitalism, how it influences all of social life, and how it changes over time. Marxism also envisions the end of class struggles as its social change goal now.

Guest: Rob Urie

April 2021 (Season 11 - Episode 13)

Dems' Self-Promotion vs. Hard Economic Realities

On this week's episode, Prof. Wolff talks about the structural failure of Biden's American Rescue Plan, Nigerian mass workers' movement, private electricity for the US rich, big vs small business struggles, and why opposition to lockdowns only prolongs Covid. On the second half of the program, Wolff interviews author Rob Urie on criticizing capitalism.

Guest: Bob Hennelly

March 2021 (Season 11 - Episode 12)

Finally A Tiny Sales Tax on Stocks

On this week's show, Prof. Wolff discusses the US coal industry decline, Brazil's Covid disaster, economic surge after Covid, and Elizabeth Warren's wealth tax proposal. On the second half of the show, Wolff interviews investigative journalist Bob Hennelly on the gap between Biden regime actions and pronouncements, and the hard realities of economic depression and "food insecurity.

Guest: James S. Henry

March 2021 (Season 11 - Episode 11)

People to People: Horizontal Social Change

On this week's show, Wolff talks about the taxing of CEO pay in the US, the immoral and self-defeating vaccine policy, and LeBron James speaking out on social issues. On the second half of the show, Wolff interviews attorney James S Henry on the struggles for a stock transfer tax in New York, the US and globally.

Guest: Prof. Marina Sitrin

March 2021 (Season 11 - Episode 10)

Socialism and Puerto Rico

On this week's show, Prof. Wolff presents updates on the Texas energy catastrophe, the 'Robinhood/Reddit' Wall Street incident, college workers organizing, Hollywood's dependency on China, and how New Zealand used total lockdown to beat Covid and support its economy. In the second half of the program, Wolff interviews Prof Marina Sitrin on pandemic solidarity and horizontal social action.

Guest: Senator Rafael Bernabe

March 2021 (Season 11 - Episode 09)

The System Implodes: Amazon, Evictions, Tax Abuses & Minimum Wage

On this week's EU, Prof. Wolff presents updates on worsening US inequality, universities borrowing more, billions earned by hedge funds in 2020, Bezos "charity" giving, Macron and French conservatives' anti-Americanism, and Communists after 1945 vs Proud Boys now. On the second half of the show, Wolff interviews socialist Senator Rafael Bernabe from Puerto Rico.

No Guest

March 2021 (Season 11 - Episode 08)

Why Capitalism Reproduces Inequality & a Solution

On this week's show, Prof. Wolff discusses Amazon's profits; New York state's eviction crisis and capitalism's reproduction of poverty and inequality; New York's stock transfer tax; raising the minimum wage; and the subsidizing of billionaire's big sport businesses.

No Guest

February 2021 (Season 11 - Episode 07)

The US Political Right in Anger & Mourning

The extreme economic inequalities of both global and US capitalism are not new or exceptional. Capitalism reproduces inequality and repeatedly blocks or reverses redistribution efforts.Inequality stems from capitalist enterprises' internal organization: a tiny minority, employers, with dominant, unaccountable power enriches itself at the expense of all others, the employee majority. To overcome capitalism's inequality requires democratizing its enterprises' organizations.

Guest: Prof. Arlie Hochschild

February 2021 (Season 11 - Episode 06)

History's Lessons on Capitalism's Failures: Germany & US

On this week's show, Prof. Wolff presents updates on the radical policies of Berlin's city gov't and its Die LInke Party; why raising minimum wage to $15/hour is too little, too late; how bans on evictions and utility shut offs fight Covid-19; and lastly, he argues for the urgent need for a changed China policy. On the second half of the show, Wolff interviews Prof. Arlie Hochschild on her 10 year study of the US political right.

No Guest

February 2021 (Season 11 - Episode 05)

Why Women Have Better Sex in Socialism

On this week's show, Prof. Wolff evaluates capitalism by how it deals with Covid-19 and talks about Boeing's latest fatal crash. The second half of the show is dedicated to a major discussion of the causes of Hitler in Germany as offering clues to the rise of Trump and the assault on the Capitol.

Guest: Prof. Kristen Ghodsee

February 2021 (Season 11 - Episode 04)

The Economics Lesson Taught by the Pandemic

On this week's show, Professor Wolff explains where the government is respected and empowered, nations have effectively contained the Covid-19 pandemic. He gives examples including New Zealand, Taiwan, South Korea, Cuba, Vietnam, and China. Alternately, where the government is demonized, disrespected, distrusted, the pandemic has been devastating. Examples of this include the UK and the US. Wolff argues that a rational economy includes both less and more government-regulated private enterprises plus state-owned and operated enterprises according to which performs best to meet society's needs. No fundamentalist "either/or" arguments are justified. Finally, he says how private and government enterprises are internally organized - hierarchical or alternatively democratic worker-co-op - is equally important.

No Guest

January 2021 (Season 11 - Episode 03)

Noam Chomsky on Prospects & Tasks as 2021 Begins

Guest: Noam Chomsky

January 2021 (Season 11 - Episode 02)

Externalities & Capitalism's Inefficiencies

This week, Professor Wolff gives updates on President-elect Biden's economic advisor "team", how Argentina's women's movement leads the defeat of the government and Roman Catholic Church oppositions to win legalized abortion and now targets other basic social changes, and how the deepening inequality of US wealth and income cause and reflect the growing gap between stock market prices and the depressed Main street US economy. The second half features an interview with Noam Chomsky on political and economic realities and possibilities facing us in 2021.

No Guest

January 2021 (Season 11 - Episode 01)