The Socialist Program with Brian Becker

On today's episode Brian and Prof. Richard Wolff discuss the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank, among others, that has caused widespread panic. The federal government has bailed out these banks, which will make hard-felt U.S. inflation even worse. Are we headed for another economic crisis?

Professor Richard Wolff is an author & co-founder of the organization Democracy at Work. You can find his work at rdwolff.com.

Please make an urgently-needed contribution to The Socialist Program by joining our Patreon community at patreon.com/thesocialistprogram. We rely on the generous support of our listeners to keep bringing you consistent, high-quality shows. All Patreon donors of $5 a month or more are invited to join the monthly Q&A seminar with Brian.

Collapsing Banks & A Weakening U.S. Empire

Neoliberalism is often misunderstood, but it is very important to understand this ideology that has dominated global economics and politics for decades. Ben Norton discusses the history of the neoliberal "Washington consensus", and how it was imposed on the world.

VIDEO: https://youtube.com/watch?v=oUwLB4xUk0s

How China became the world's industrial superpower - and why the US is desperate to stop it: https://youtube.com/watch?v=BT7Th2aV0wM

What is neoliberalism? How the 'Washington consensus' was imposed on the world

TPC303.wav

NATO leaders met in Lithuania this week, and Finland and Sweden are now joining NATO, continuing the vast expansion of the military alliance. Ukraine was promised a path to NATO membership — despite the risk of further widening the war in Ukraine. Where is the newly emerging world order headed? How will the increasing contradictions resolve? And how can we better understand this historical moment to bring about an end to the scourge of imperialist war?

Brian Becker is joined by Vijay Prashad, the Executive Director of the Tricontinental Institute for Social Research, Chief Editor of LeftWord Books, and a prolific author, most recently with Noam Chomsky of “The Withdrawal: Iraq, Libya, Afghanistan, and the Fragility of U.S. Power.”

Please make an urgently-needed contribution to The Socialist Program by joining our Patreon community at https://patreon.com/thesocialistprogram. We rely on the generous support of our listeners to keep bringing you consistent, high-quality shows. All Patreon donors of $5 a month or more are invited to join the monthly Q&A seminar with Brian.

NATO Expands, Again. Will the Ukraine War Spread? w/ Vijay Prashad

On today's episode Walter Smolarek and Prof. Richard Wolff discuss the historic strike of SAG-AFTRA actors and WGA writers and what's at stake. 160,000 actors are now joining the Writers Guild on strike. They're challenging who gets to decide how to install artificial intelligence in the entertainment industry.

Professor Richard Wolff is an author & co-founder of the organization Democracy at Work. You can find his work at rdwolff.com.

Please make an urgently-needed contribution to The Socialist Program by joining our Patreon community at patreon.com/thesocialistprogram. We rely on the generous support of our listeners to keep bringing you consistent, high-quality shows. All Patreon donors of $5 a month or more are invited to join the monthly Q&A seminar with Brian.

Showdown Over AI: SAG-AFTRA Actors Join WGA Writers on Strike

The United States is the largest historic contributor to climate change, yet Washington is condemning Beijing for supposedly not doing enough. In reality, China is leading the world in the transition to renewable energy technology.

VIDEO: https://youtube.com/watch?v=pJ3ItSYBaJs

US hypocritically attacks China on climate change, while Beijing leads world in renewable energy

US government documents admit that the nuclear bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki was not necessary to end WWII. Japan was on the verge of surrendering. The nuclear attack was the first strike in Washington's Cold War on the Soviet Union.

VIDEO: https://youtube.com/watch?v=5vMEgneKF10

Links to sources and more information here: https://geopoliticaleconomy.com/2023/08/07/atomic-bombing-japan-not-necessary

US-backed fascism in Japan - How Shinzo Abe whitewashed genocidal imperial crimes: https://geopoliticaleconomy.com/2022/07/09/fascism-japan-shinzo-abe-empire

After nuking Japan, US gov’t lied about radioactive fallout as civilians died: https://geopoliticaleconomy.com/2022/08/16/japan-us-lied-radioactive-fallout

Atomic bombing of Japan was NOT necessary to end WWII. US gov't documents admit it

As world leaders from the Global South convene in South Africa for the BRICS Summit this week, the West is watching closely. 23 countries have applied to join Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa in the grouping, which is focused on trade and development in their regions — typically dominated by colonizing powers in Europe and the United States. Where is BRICS headed and what unifies the grouping?

Brian Becker is joined by Mikaela Nhondo Erskog, member of secretariat of Pan Africanism Today, researcher at Tricontinental: Institute for Social Research, member of No Cold War, and host of the podcast The Crane: An Africa-China podcast coming from the DongSheng News collective.

Please make an urgently-needed contribution to The Socialist Program by joining our Patreon community at https://www.patreon.com/TheSocialistProgram. We rely on the generous support of our listeners to keep bringing you consistent, high-quality shows. All Patreon donors of $5 a month or more are invited to join the monthly Q&A seminar with Brian.

BRICS Summit: China, Africa, Russia and the 23 New Applicants

Political economists Radhika Desai and Michael Hudson explain how imperialism is a product not only of the struggle between classes but also nations, and how the framework of geopolitical economy helps us understand the international relations of the capitalist world system.

VIDEO: https://youtube.com/watch?v=vKVjpKCFd28

You can watch other episodes of their program Geopolitical Economy Hour here: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDAi0NdlN8hMl9DkPLikDDGccibhYHnDP

Imperialism: How the struggle of both classes and nations creates our world

After decades of fighting, victims of the Marine Corps mass poisoning at Camp Lejeune will finally get settlements–so an array of billionaires, hedge funds, and their far-right attorneys have wormed into the leadership of the case, attempting to loot the majority of the settlement funds. 

Joining the show is Lejeune survivor, advocate and journalist Lori Freshwater

Follow EYES LEFT on Twitter & IG at @EyesLeftPod

SUPPORT our work with a tax deductible donation to https://www.patreon.com/empirefiles [Eyes Left is now a production of Empire Files, a 501(c)(3) media non-profit.]

The Vultures Circling Camp Lejeune Victims

What is life like in China? How does its economy work? Is it obsessed with censorship, or actually defending its sovereignty against foreign interference? Journalist Ben Norton discusses his experience living in the country.

VIDEO: https://youtube.com/watch?v=EeuYRuOZ6rU

Watch our related video "How China became the world's industrial superpower - and why the US is desperate to stop it": https://youtube.com/watch?v=BT7Th2aV0wM

Check out our report "How China strengthened food security and fought poverty with state-funded cooperatives": https://geopoliticaleconomy.com/2022/05/31/china-food-security-poverty-cooperatives

Topics
0:00 Why I moved to China
1:34 China's remarkable economic growth
2:24 The most sovereign country?
4:32 Technological sovereignty
7:40 Dangers of a new cold war
9:28 An unnecessary disclaimer
11:35 Unprecedented economic development
19:33 China's unique sovereignty
23:32 De-industrialization
24:42 China's sovereign social media space
28:28 China's sovereign technological space
31:20 Digitalization of the economy
34:09 Phones
36:29 Cars and computers
39:08 US sanctions and tech war
41:16 Censorship, or digital tariffs?
46:59 Problems
47:31 Energy security and green transition
50:42 Food security
52:15 Debt
54:18 Inequality
55:48 Democracy?
59:14 Protecting sovereignty is not isolationism
59:55 Export- or consumption-based model?
1:05:05 Comparative advantage: a critique
1:19:30 Outro

A look inside China: Is this the most sovereign country on Earth?

International law clearly shows that the Palestinian people have a legal right to armed struggle against Israeli colonialism, just as South Africans did against apartheid. Gaza suffers under an illegal Israeli blockade that even a former British prime minister recognized to be a "prison camp". Journalist Ben Norton looks over the evidence.

VIDEO: https://youtube.com/watch?v=JwO6cGnn-M8

Palestinians have a legal right to armed resistance against Israeli colonialism

Charles, Alex, and Dan check in on the struggles of the world's youngest Garfield licensee and read some of the dismal editorial content at Songtradr. Fortune Kit on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/fortunekit

180 - Rock Music Is the Perfect Condiment for This Fast Food Brand

We talk turkey day and Derek Chauvin's carving. Then, Jake breaks down Argentina's lunatic libertarian President-elect Javier Mileli.

PAID PROTEST FRIDAY 12/1
https://secure.actblue.com/donate/paidprotestdec

NAOMI KARAVANI SPECIAL RECORDING SAT 12/2
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/comedians-you-should-know-presents-naomi-karavani-late-show-tickets-766510552697

Captain AnCap

Anders & Antifada Andy team up to interview the unmasked McKinsey whistleblower and journalist Garrison Lovely about consulting with Rikers and ICE. Other topics include bread fixing, opiates, McKinsey 4chan, and Mayor Pete.

White Elephant 12/26 Tickets: https://t.co/oF5kH2zbqS

Garrison's Nation article: ww.thenation.com/article/society/mckinsey-whistleblower-confessions/

Song: They Might Be Giants - Ampersand

&&&: Garrison Lovely on McKinsey

Geopolitical Economy Report is an independent news outlet that provides original journalism and analysis to understand the changing world.

Imperialism: How the struggle of both classes and nations creates our world

Geopolitical Economy Report

Related tracks