Tag: financialization

On today’s show, two sociologists talk about aspects of neoliberal restructuring. First, Nicole Aschoff, sociologist, author of The New Prophets of Capital and until very recently managing editor of Jacobin magazine speaks with me about the auto industry, Trump and why globalization shouldn’t be solely blamed for the destruction of good jobs even while it is nevertheless in crisis. Next, Mike McCarthy, assistant professor of sociology at Marquette University in Milwaukee, discusses his recent book Dismantling Solidarity: Capitalist Politics and American Pensions since the New Deal about how the pensions system has been transformed in ways that leave workers more vulnerable.

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Tags 401k, auto industry, defined benefit, financialization, globalization, Michael McCarthy, neoliberalism, Nicole Aschoff, Social Security, Trump

Pensions Political Eh-conomy Radio Privatization

Pension tensions and power privatization

Post author By Michal Rozworski
Post date May 1, 2015
No Comments on Pension tensions and power privatization

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Two guests today: Kevin Skerrett on the changing way pensions function today and Sheila Block the impending privatization of Hydro One in Ontario. Sadly, the two are linked: large pension funds are increasingly active in privatizations. My first guest, Kevin Skerrett, is a pension researcher at the Canadian Union of Public Employees. Don’t let the word pensions scare you off, this is a conversation that gets to the heart of how workers relate to the market and to each other in a changing neoliberal economy. See this article by Kevin and the linked videos of a speaker series for more.

From pensions, the episode moves to privatization with my second guest, Sheila Block. Sheila is the Senior Economist at the Ontario office of the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives. We spoke about the impending privatization of Hydro One in Ontario, a cynical and financially senseless sell-off of an important public asset. Sheila’s recent article on the topic is here.

Tags Canada Pension Plan, financialization, Hydro One, individual pension, labour movement, Ontario Liberals

Climate change USA

What’s the risk? Climate activism aiming at supply and demand

Post author By Michal Rozworski
Post date April 23, 2014
2 Comments on What’s the risk? Climate activism aiming at supply and demand

One way to think about climate activism is to see if it focuses on the supply of or demand for fossil fuels – pipelines or cars, hydrocarbons or carbon emissions. This distinction is not a new one, is doubtless very simplistic and has often been used to chastise activists. Here, I hope it will draw out some potentially useful thoughts that centre on the aims of activism and the idea of risk.

In an article published yesterday in The Nation, Chris Hayes makes an interesting analogy between the struggle for climate justice and abolitionism: despite numerous differences, both assume the destruction of potential future income streams – abolition by freeing slaves, climate justice by leaving fossil fuels in the ground. The weak link that climate activism can exploit is the capital-intensiveness of fossil fuel extraction. This is a re-framing of the supply side of the story.

Tags carbon bubble, climate activism, climate justice, Enbridge, financialization, Keystone XL, Northern Gateway, oil, pipelines, risk, stranded assets, supply and demand

Austerity Crisis Finance Political Eh-conomy Radio USA Workers

In and out of crisis with Sam Gindin

Post author By Michal Rozworski
Post date March 14, 2014
No Comments on In and out of crisis with Sam Gindin

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Today’s podcast is a feature interview with fellow political economist Sam Gindin. I interrogate Sam about the political economy of the present: the exit from the 2007 crisis, the role of states, austerity, the place of finance and the possibilities of resistance.

Sam Gindin is a left political economist with a long career. He was the longtime Research Director of the CAW and later held the Packer Visiting Chair in Social Justice at York University. Most recently, Sam authored The Making of Global Capitalism with Leo Panitch, a book that has gone on to win prestigious awards and spark important debates.

Tags Austerity, capitalism, financial crisis, financialization, organization, political economy, radical is practical, resistance, state, The Making of Global Capitalism, unions, working class