Occupy Wall Street & the Economic Crisis
By any standard, 2011 was a historic year of protest and revolution. In Tunisia and Egypt seemingly invulnerable regimes were toppled. In Wisconsin, citizens outraged over attacks on public workers, stayed at the state capitol building and camped and marched in the freezing cold. In August, more than 1,000 demonstrators were arrested protesting the Keystone XL tar sands pipeline, in the largest act of civil disobedience in decades. As a result of popular pressure, the project has been put on hold. Then, on September 17, in the heart of economic power, the Occupy Wall Street movement was born. Since then, it has spread and taken different shapes and forms. OWS has changed our vocabulary. 1% and 99% have entered the conversation and the focus is on the deep political, economic and social inequality in the U.S. and around the world. Interview by David Barsamian.
Speaker
Richard Wolff
Richard Wolff is Professor of Economics Emeritus at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst and currently a visiting professor at the New School in New York. The New York Times calls him “America’s most prominent Marxist economist.” He is the author of numerous books including Democracy at Work, Capitalism’s Crisis Deepens and Occupy the Economy with David Barsamian.
Ralph Munn –
Richard Wolff presents complex ideas in concise, cogent language. His logic and clarity make me want to try to audit one of his courses a UMass/Amherst, which is not far from my home!
Tom Scholis –
I just listened to this on NPR in the Albany NY area and loved it. I’m a Bentley College Graduate from Waltham Ma. with 30 years of business experience. But you don’t need a degree in business or anything else to get what this is about. The facts were clearly presented. Fantastic!
Kirstin –
I caught a fair portion of this program on my local NPR station last night and was very impressed. Richard Wolff gave invaluable, easy to understand insight into the political reasons behind our current financial climate. Many opponents of the occupy movement question – “what is the message?” I think this program gives listeners a complete and well supported answer to that question.
Charlie –
I just listened to this show and have concluded that he is so full of shit that he needs to wash away his delusional bullshit with a preparation H cocktail. Let me add, Richard, that the “country” didn’t GIVE the one percent ANYTHING. How about they EARNED it. I’ve never been sickened by as much leftist socialist bullshit as presented in this show – unchallenged by the goober sucking it all in. You KNOW that the bullshit you are spewing has never worked anywhere in the world yet you still arrogantly spew this garbage as if it is a tried and true successful practice world wide. Capitalism work butt head and what you described is NOT capitalism. And I might add that the only thing hitting the fan is the bullshit spewing from your lying pie hole.