Newsworthy

Dialogue Works: Israel is Caught in a Historic Impossibility and Its Economy is in Trouble

On Dialogue Works, Richard Wolff joins the conversation to analyze the complex nature of settler colonialism and its historical impact, particularly relating to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. He discusses the perceived historical impossibility of Israel's settler colonial project in the current international context and President Biden's shifting policy towards Israel in light of global opposition. The conversation then shifts to the broader global dynamics, where Wolff cautions against the United States continuing as a declining empire incapable of recognizing its fading dominance. He contrasts the US and China's approach to international policy and development, suggesting the world is evaluating which is more successful: military expenditure or economic growth that alleviates poverty. Finally, Wolff addresses the notion of "might makes right," challenging the inevitability of conflict and suggesting that, historically, nations have found ways to coexist and resolve tensions without resorting to perpetual war.

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Class, Gender, and Society: Origins and Future of the nuclear family with Dr. Harriet Fraad

Dr. Harriet Fraad shares insights on the Superdatic Club podcast today by discussing the evolution of the feminist movement and how it was influenced and partly diverted by external forces such as the CIA and FBI. She highlights the relationship between economic systems, gender, and family structures, noting the impact of class stratification on these aspects of society. Fraad also addresses the transformation and challenges of the nuclear family in contemporary times, pointing out the lack of supportive social structures for families in the United States. Moreover, she mentions how the decline of unions and rise of class consciousness are leading to a resurgence in union activity and a reevaluation of gender and race issues within a broader economic context. Lastly, Fraad's positive view on the increasing involvement of men in child-rearing suggests a hopeful shift towards greater gender equality in parenting.

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The Socialist Program: Treasury Head Yellen’s New China Complaint

Richard Wolff joins The Socialist Program to discuss Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen's trip to China and her focus on the so-called overcapacity issue, which the U.S. argues is China's production of too much in certain key economic areas. Wolff criticizes this complaint as a public relations tactic by the Biden administration, pointing out that many economies, including the U.S., have excess capacity, and that China's success in electric vehicles and other industries is due to their ability to produce large quantities efficiently. The Chinese strategy of developing extensive production capacity is a normal competitive strategy in capitalism and has been employed by successful U.S. companies historically. Wolff also touches on the debate about protectionist policies and argues that both free trade and protection can have complex and varying effects on the working class, suggesting that the real issue for the working class should be their relationship with the employer class. Lastly, he notes the shift from U.S. advocacy for free trade to protectionist policies, highlighting how China and other countries are adapting

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A Class Analysis of the Trump-Biden Rerun

By “class system” we mean the basic workplace organizations—the human relationships or “social relations”—that accomplish the production and distribution of goods and services. Some examples include the master/slave, communal village, and lord/serf organizations. Another example, the distinctive capitalist class system, entails the employer/employee organization. In the United States and in much of the world, it is now the dominant class system. Employers—a tiny minority of the population—direct and control the enterprises and employees that produce and distribute goods and services. Employers buy the labor power of employees—the population’s vast majority—and set it to work in their enterprises. Each enterprise’s output belongs to its employer who decides whether to sell it, sets the price, and receives and distributes the resulting revenue.

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A Conversation With Dr. Harriet Fraad—the Women’s Movement

Harriet Fraad joins Irish Granny Tarot to discuss her experiences and insights as one of the pioneers of the Second Wave Women's Movement. She clarifies the myth of bra burning during the Miss America protest, reaffirming the movement's focus on combating second-class citizenship for women rather than protesting beauty standards. Fraad shares personal stories of her family upbringing, highlighting the complex feminist views of her parents and the unique challenges she faced due to her mother's absence during early childhood. The conversation touches on famous figures in the feminist movement, noting Fraad's perspective on their contributions and controversies, such as Gloria Steinem's ties with the CIA. Looking to the future, Fraad advocates for a unified movement that includes class, gender, race, and LGBTQ rights, with hopes for strong, charismatic leaders who can champion these causes.

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The Critical Hour: Weekly News Wrap Up (06.04.2024)

Richard Wolff joins The Critical Hour to discuss the success of China’s hybrid economic model, which combines state-owned and private enterprises, and is outperforming the US and European market-based economies. Treasury Secretary Yellen has voiced concerns over China's growing economic capabilities, particularly in electric vehicles and computer applications. Wolff highlights that despite government subsidies being a common global practice, China's efficient use is leading to its expected surpassing of the US economy by the end of the 2020s. The US Trade Representative, Catherine Tai, has criticized China's economic model as "non-market" policies, which Wolff argues is an inaccurate characterization since China does engage in market activities, much like any other nation. Lastly, Wolff suggests that the European social model, which has historically provided substantial welfare benefits, could face challenges due to pressure from the US to increase military spending, potentially leading to tax hikes or cuts in social services.

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Project Censored: The Cost of American Delusions with Professor Richard Wolff

Prof Wolff joins Project Censored to discuss the decline of U.S. influence and the delusions of power in current global politics. He analyzes the complex economic situation in Europe, highlighting its struggles to compete with the U.S. and China, alongside internal challenges such as right-wing politics and immigration crises. Wolff also explores the impact of economic nationalism versus neoliberal globalization, suggesting a shift in global economic power dynamics towards China. He touches on the economic and political consequences for Israel due to its conflict with Palestine and the U.S.'s potential reevaluation of alliances with European countries. Finally, Wolff foresees a possibility of a left-wing political turn in response to the failure of right-wing solutions to address underlying social and economic issues.

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Dialogue Works: NATO's Terrible Miscalculations as Ukraine is Being Destroyed

Prof Wolff joins Dialogue Works to discuss significant miscalculations in the West's approach to the Ukraine war, suggesting overestimations of Russia's weakness and underestimations of its resilience. He argues that Western powers failed to anticipate Russia's capacity for sustaining an attritional conflict, misjudging both the country's military and economic fortitude. The resulting miscalculations, according to Wolff, have had catastrophic consequences for Ukraine, causing widespread destruction and massive population displacement. Wolff posits that these errors stem from a broader inability to confront the decline of American hegemony and the concurrent rise of China and the BRICS nations. He believes that internal struggles within Western societies, particularly between right-leaning governments and corporate interests vested in China, will critically shape future geopolitical strategies and highlight the urgency of addressing these costly delusions.

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The Socialist Program: US Capitalists Flock to China as US Gov’t Says STOP China

On this episode of The Socialist Program Brian and Prof. Wolff discuss US attempts to minimize China's production of computer chips, the scale of which is proving to be a big draw for US-based corporations. Is it really possible to ice China out of the global supply chain?

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The Socialist Program: New U.S. Threats Against Russia

Prof Wolff joins The Socialist Program to discuss the intensifying U.S. efforts to apply pressure on global financial institutions in the Global South to enforce sanctions against Russia. Despite initial expectations for a quick economic collapse, Russia's economy has proven resilient, and Washington is now targeting banks in countries like the UAE and Turkey to cut off Russian access to global markets. Sanctions are a form of government intervention that dictates with whom businesses can trade, often leading to evasion and the search for workarounds by affected entities. The continued failure of sanctions against Russia over the past two years is seen as evidence of a shifting global economic balance and the waning influence of the U.S. Lastly, he critiques the use of "national security" as a catch-all justification for protectionist policies, which may not always align with the interests of workers or even all sectors of American capitalism.

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