Unsurprisingly, not all economists agree on how to approach what used to be called “political economy”. Adam Smith in 1776 defined it as “an inquiry into the nature and causes of the wealth of nations”. It was understood that the default state of mankind was poverty, so the question was how people become wealthy.
Tag: socialism
Millennial Socialism, Teachers’ Strike, Fat Capitalist Bezos, & Work or Die (26m) – Episode 448
Episode 448 has Skyler giving his commentary on the following entries to r/shitstatistssay: @NathanHRubin writes, “Millennials don’t hear socialism & think about the USSR or the Cold War… we think about Canada, Switzerland…”; PixPls writes, “It’s time that teachers stood up to their states and just said ‘No’. And while they are at it, a 20% raise is in order.”; Wordsmifff2991 writes, “The biggest cause of poverty is greed… Yes Jeff Bezos I’m talking to you.”; and NeonDepression writes, “There wouldn’t be any value without labor period. The worker HAS to create it for there to be any wealth whatsoever. Property inherently is theft… There is no such thing as a free market when people are forced to work in order to live. Thats called coercion.”
Li Zhao: Surviving History’s Greatest Mass Murderer (54m)
This episode features an interview of Chinese expatriate Li Zhao from 2019 by Matt Kibbe, host of Kibbe on Liberty. She talks about her experiences growing up under the communist regime of Chairman Mao Zedong. Between her grisly stories of starvation and totalitarianism, she explains why it’s so important to continue fighting for worldwide freedom, and to resist the allure of democratic socialism today.
The Many Capitalisms, and Socialisms (28m) – Episode 442
Episode 442 has Skyler giving follow-up commentary on Episode 433, his response to Richard Wolff after his debates with David Friedman and Gene Epstein. This episode picks apart definitions for capitalism and socialism and shows how even the most horrible dictators and slaveowners in human history can be considered capitalists if we pervert words and concepts thoroughly enough.
Skyler J. Collins vs. Richard D. Wolff on Capitalism and Socialism (47m) – Episode 433
Episode 433 has Skyler responding to claims and arguments made by Richard Wolff in debates with David Friedman and Gene Epstein. Topics include: Wolff’s debate tactic of feigning ignorance; Wolff’s definitions of capitalism and socialism; the concept of self-ownership; the concept of private property from original appropriation; how private firms can be organized; capitalism as a concept verse markets as a concept; and more.
Debunking Common Criticisms of Austrian Economics (29m) – Episode 431
Episode 431 has Skyler reading and giving his commentary on an article by entrepreneurship professor Per Bylund titled, “Debunking Seven Common Criticisms of Austrian Economics”.
Be Grateful for Capitalism This Thanksgiving
If government controlled the production of turkeys and toilet paper, this would be a very unhappy holiday.
Wretched Refuse? vs. Ominous Speculation
An army of immigration skeptics warn that mass immigration paves the road to socialism and tyranny. When they express these fears, they almost always find a receptive audience. Even thinkers inclined to favor immigration often get cold feet when they visualize the new arrivals’ broader political effects.
Socialist Critique of Libertarian Children’s Books Drives Massive Surge in Sales
As Connor Boyack recently discovered, there is no such thing as bad publicity. The creator of the popular Tuttle Twins children’s book series, which reinforces libertarian values and free-market principles, saw his book sales surge after an established progressive magazine wrote a lengthy feature article attacking the books.
Why It’s Up to Parents and Grandparents to Remind Young People of the Promise of Capitalism
Defending capitalism from its naysayers and teaching its benefits to the rising generation are more important now than ever before.