Weekly Roundup: May 25, 2022

Check out the latest content from Democracy at Work.

New this week: Economic Update, Anti-Capitalist Chronicles, All Things Co-op, Global Capitalism & Ask Prof Wolff...

Check out the latest content from Democracy at Work!

Economic Update: War and the Left

Prof. Wolff talks about the GOP's stance on student debt forgiveness, US corporations replacing home ownership with rentals, today's US economy not "strong," and left unity, as 4 French left parties work to defeat Macron. In the second half, Wolff interviews Prof. Marcello Musto on the history of the left and Marxism, and how they deal with war in the past and in Ukraine.

Musto: "No matter what name it may take- fascism, liberalism, dictatorship of the proletariat- the principle enemy is the administrative policy and military apparatus. And war, of course, is the biggest moment in which this apparatus is growing.”

Anti-Capitalist Chronicles: Freedom, Necessity and Anti-Capitalism

Prof. Harvey points to a number of hopeful changes in the political landscape of various countries: Colombia, Peru, Brazil and France. Harvey continues by drawing on Marx’s arguments on the 10-hour work day as a guide for today’s anti-capitalist agenda. Given the current US conditions, the movement should focus on small, incremental changes and mobilize around important issues such as housing and living wages.

Harvey: "There's a strong group there which has some kind of idea about a political program which is not going to be anti-capitalist in the rigorous sense of it's going to get rid of capitalism tomorrow, but it's the sort of program which actually is enriching in the sense that it can actually take us step by step towards some kind of alternative.”

All Things Co-op: Friendships, Relationships, and Intimacy in a Cooperative Society

Does capitalism allow real friendship? How does commodification shape our dating lives? How do people share intimacy in a world in which data is translatable to wealth? These and many more questions are discussed by Cinar, Kevin, and Larry in this episode of All Things Co-op.

Larry: “Leisure is a sort of a space in capitalism, our current society, which can be commodified or not. And that's changed. I think it's becoming more commodified... And so, to put together a social life becomes harder, and more time consuming, and more expensive.”

Global Capitalism: Abolish Employment

Prof Wolff talks about Marx's central observation: how employment exploits people in a fundamentally unequal and undemocratic way. Like slavery, we may need a new amendment to abolish this economic relationship of employer/employee.

Wolff: “Marx's conclusion was clear. This system has to be changed, and right at the core: in the workplace. We have go to stop an arrangement in which a mass of people work hard to enable a very small number of people to control everything and to amass the riches that labor together achieves. If we don't change that system, we will be looking at inequality, instability, injustice forever.”

Ask Prof Wolff: 3 Ways Government Has Historically Curbed Inflation

A Supporter of Democracy at Work asks: "Is there anything the Biden administration can do to decrease the rate of inflation significantly, even though it is worldwide? Is there any approach to price controls that could really work?" This is Professor Richard Wolff's video response.

Wolff: “The important thing is to understand that if there were a political will to stop the inflation it could be done tomorrow, but instead it's taking months and months.”

Ask Prof Wolff: Economic Implications of Abortion Access

A Patron of Economic Update asks: "Can you talk about the economics of planned parenthood and abortion? This is Professor Richard Wolff's video response.

Wolff: “You've heard these arguments, but they are all legitimate questions about where this whole movement around abortion is going and what its economic implications will be.”