In part two, Michael Hudson discusses his new book “The Collapse of Antiquity.” Hudson challenges the traditional beliefs about the fall of the Roman Empire, arguing that it was caused by a financial crisis brought on by excessive debt, wealth inequality, and the concentration of economic power. Hudson draws parallels to modern-day economies and highlights the dangers of financialization and wealth concentration.
We get a first look at the new book by renowned political economist Michael Hudson on the age-old battle between creditors and the real economy. Ancient Rome refused to adopt the practices of debt forgiveness and land redistribution previously understood to be essential. Instead, they instituted a rigid pro-creditor legal system, assassinating anyone who remotely threatened it–including Tiberius Gracchus, Julius Caesar, and Jesus. The empire devolved into a rentier economy, ultimately collapsing from within. Today’s neoliberal establishment increasingly defends this failed state framework, even as the same disastrous dynamics intensify.
Steve Keen has been exposing the ways mainstream neoclassical economists—including winners of the so-called Nobel Prize in Economics— have been arriving at their absurdly optimistic numbers regarding climate change, and they’re terrifying. In this interview with Colin Bruce Anthes, Keen goes through prevalent examples in detail and argues that these numbers and the methods behind them must simply be thrown in the garbage.
Are antitrust laws effective as a mechanism to break up monopolies and Big Tech? How monopolies enable price-gouging and drive inflation. Talia Baroncelli speaks to Matt Stoller, Research Director at the American Economic Liberties Project.
This interview was originally released on April 28, 2017. The Next System Project’s Gar Alperovitz tells Paul Jay that the Federal Reserve should use quantitive easing, i.e. create money, to take Big Oil companies out of the equation and finance a massive green infrastructure program.
On the first anniversary of the death of our dear friend Leo Panitch, we republish this 2015 interview with Leo by Chris Hedges.
This is an episode of Reality Asserts Itself, produced on June 17, 2014. Mr. Johnson says politicians dependent on campaign contributions from the wealthy are allowing finance to bankrupt Detroit and cities across the country.
This is an episode of Reality Asserts Itself, produced on June 13, 2014. Mr. Johnson says TARP was an abomination; finance controls the government and uses it to cover its losses.
The final segment of our series with Bill Black on modern American financial fraud.
This is an episode of Reality Asserts Itself, produced on June 12, 2014. Mr. Johnson says, “I used to tell my dad, if I’m fortunate enough to see St. Peter and get through the gate, I’m not going to get in because I helped knock off the British pound”.
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