Cross posted from our friends at Renegade Inc. As many people turn towards their Christian and Jewish faiths this Christmas and Hanukkah in an attempt to make sense of the year that was, at least one economist says we have been reading the bible in an anachronistic way. In fact he has written an entire book on the topic. In ‘...And Forgive them their Debts: Credit and Redemption’ (available this spring on Amazon), Professor Michael Hudson makes the argument that far from being about sex, the bible is actually about economics, and debt in particular. "The Christianity we know today is not the Christianity of Jesus," says Professor Hudson. Indeed the Judaism that we know today is not the Judaism of Jesus either. The economist told Renegade Inc the Lord's Prayer, 'forgive us our sins ...
Timeless Sparring
Once again on the Renegade Economists radio show, with insights from the economic history of the Middle Ages, with a particular focus on the Byzantine era. How have the wealthy remained in control, in the process removing the debt jubilee?
On Simon Patten
As one of my most respected intellectuals, this piece by Trey Popp from the Prophet of Prosperity reveals some needed detail on the importance of Simon Patten's thinking. For that reason it is worth re-posting. Simon Patten, who led the Wharton School during the Progressive Era, was a pioneer of the economics of abundance, theorist of the second industrial revolution, and intellectual godfather of the New Deal. His descent into obscurity poses provocative questions about how the field has evolved. One century ago this year, the Wharton School dismissed the most esteemed and innovative theoretical economist who had ever passed through its doors. Simon Patten, who was appointed Wharton’s first professor of economics in 1888 and directed the school during its formative years from 1896 to 1912, was a public intellectual whose ...
Germany’s choice
Introduction to GERMAN edition of Super Imperialism, 2017. In theory, the global financial system is supposed to help every country gain. Mainstream teaching of international finance, trade and “foreign aid” (defined simply as any government credit) depicts an almost utopian system uplifting all countries, not stripping their assets and imposing austerity. The reality since World War I is that the United States has taken the lead in shaping the international financial system to promote gains for its own bankers, farm exporters, its oil and gas sector, and buyers of foreign resources – and most of all, to collect on debts owed to it. Each time this global system has broken down over the past century, the major destabilizing force has been American over-reach and the drive by its bankers and bondholders ...
Michael Hudson’s “TED TALK” on Economics
This is the Michael Hudson "TED TALK” on economics. It covers everything you need to know about our failed global economic system and what to do about it, as featured in his book, J IS FOR JUNK ECONOMICS – A GUIDE TO REALITY IN AN AGE OF DECEPTION. Transcript (edited) Ross: The common refrain that you hear is that economics has failed. Blame that on the current economic paradigm: neoliberalism. In its own terms, it hasn't failed. It's worked perfectly according to the trajectory on which it aims: to steer society on behalf of the One Percent. Michael: Academic economics has been turned into a cover story to defend a status quo steered by the wealthiest One Percent, mainly by the banking and financial sector instead of by governments and their regulatory or ...
Socialism, Land and Banking: 2017 compared to 1917
An article written for the hundredth anniversary of the Russian Revolution, to be read in Beijing today. Socialism a century ago seemed to be the wave of the future. There were various schools of socialism, but the common ideal was to guarantee support for basic needs, and for state ownership to free society from landlords, predatory banking and monopolies. In the West these hopes are now much further away than they seemed in 1917. Land and natural resources, basic infrastructure monopolies, health care and pensions have been increasingly privatized and financialized. Instead of Germany and other advanced industrial nations leading the way as expected, Russia’s October 1917 Revolution made the greatest leap. But the failures of Stalinism became an argument against Marxism – guilt-by-association with Soviet bureaucracy. European parties calling themselves ...
Zero Government 101
On Australia's Renegade Economists radio show. How far can Wall St go? Julien Lavallée
Fictitious Economy
In deep with Gary Null, on the effects of economic inequality.
What Tax Plan?
Transcript “Trump's Tax Plan Helps Wall Street, Not Main Street,” TRNN, October 3, 2017. It should be called the Leona Helmsley tax plan,' says economist Michael Hudson. 'Only the little people will pay taxes'. S. Peries: It's the Real News Network. I'm Sharmini Peries coming to you from Baltimore. A general consensus is emerging that Trump's tax plan, which he presented last Wednesday will benefit mostly the country's upper classes and corporations. In fact the only people that got a tax increase are the poorest taxpayers. A quick scan of even business press headlines will reinforce what I'm saying. For example, Bloomberg writes, "Tax reform could open a huge loophole for wealthy Americans", and the conservative magazines National Review has a headline that reads, "Congressional Republicans tax plan isn't great for Trump suburbanites." ...
Trump’s Tax Tricks
With Thom Hartmann on The Big Picture, discussing the doublespeak behind Trump's Tax plan.
