41 Comments

So can someone please tell me where can I find the video? Correct me if I am wrong, but a paid subscription allows you to access the video's. So I know you guys are busy saving the whole world from fake news, but any help finding the video's would be appreciated. Thank you Krystal Ball your a Hot babe, and Kyle you are a Smart MotherF*****!

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It was disappointing how poorly Prof. Wolff did in that debate with Destiny...

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1:50:00~

the capitalist hierarchical structure doesnt create efficiency- it creates the Veneer of efficiency. the bosses make quick decisions (as opposed to the slower decision making that would occur with worker-owners) but even with those quick decisions, there's still bureaucracy and catastrophic externalities. the right wing loves to shit on the "bloated bureaucratic state", but there's PLENTY of inefficient bureaucracy within privately run corporations.

read or watch the late david graeber (RIP) talk about bullshit jobs and bureaucracy within capitalism.

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I dont know why the Left loves this guy so much. He seems like a quack. Thinks capitalism caused ww1 and 2 defines dog as not a cat and thinks socialism is "when the govt does stuff"....and apologizes for the Soviet Union and Maoist China. Dude lost a debate to a Twitch streamer for Christs sake....

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Kyle asked about Cuban socialism, and Richard Wolff chose to simplify what actually happens (now, although not in the past). In the past, the Cuban state owned the entire economy. In the last decade especially (and Prof. Wolff knows this as he has talked about it on his show), Cuba has been turning firms over to direct worker ownership exactly as Prof. Wolff advocates. But I can understand why he would choose to omit this statement, as decades of propaganda in the US have demonized every single aspect about the Republic of Cuba, and he doesn't want to associate his model for socialism with the lies that are told about Cuba. Professor Wolff is awesome and I'm glad the left has him, because he does a better job of staying on message than the vast majority of the left (especially since he doesn't get caught up with all the woke bullshit that turns off working class people of all racial/ethnic groups unlike the elected socialists our country has, especially AOC). The model of socialism that Prof. Wolff advocates has a lot of things that make perfect sense to regular workers all across this country, and I know this because I've brought up the prospect of direct worker ownership with coworkers (some largely apolitical, others typical Democrats, and even a few Republicans) and they all like the idea! The issue is convincing working class people that a different system is possible, because we've all been beaten down for decade after decade and now working people down don't even believe change is possible.

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Even $5/month isn't in the budget for some of us, Kyle. How about foregoing the guilt trips, eh?

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Prof. Richard Wolff is the best. I always learn something with him.

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An amazing interview, I must admit that it was interesting to listen to your guest analyze the desperate catastrophic economic policies offered by Emperor Joe and his court jesters, as well as his interesting explanation of macroeconomic policies like M.M.T. and Keynesian/Post-Keynesian theories and some views on economic reform, so I enjoyed listening to the professor in question and had the opportunity to hear a lot of interesting important things

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Bloomberg didn't fail. his purpose was to wipe out Bernie. he succeeded. he got out as soon as the electoral math went against sanders

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Wolf is okay but he gets some of the details wrong. This view that democratizing the workplace is somehow new or distinct from previous socialist movements is ahistorical. The soviets were literally workers councils which were highly democratic (instant recall, for example) and included the development of some worker cooperatives. They also implemented an eight-hour workday.

Additionally, it is worth looking at the Mondragon in closer detail. Despite being cooperative in Spain, its numerous international subsidiaries have not typically used their organizational model and often use the same exploitative techniques as traditional capitalism. For example, there was a worker’s strike in 2008 in Poland against the poor conditions in Fagor (Mondragon’s flagship brand).

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Kyle asked about Cuban socialism, and Richard Wolff chose to simplify what actually happens (now, although not in the past). In the past, the Cuban state owned the entire economy. In the last decade especially (and Prof. Wolff knows this as he has talked about it on his show), Cuba has been turning firms over to direct worker ownership exactly as Prof. Wolff advocates. But I can understand why he would choose to omit this statement, as decades of propaganda in the US have demonized every single aspect about the Republic of Cuba, and he doesn't want to associate his model for socialism with the lies that are told about Cuba. Professor Wolff is awesome and I'm glad the left has him, because he does a better job of staying on message than the vast majority of the left (especially since he doesn't get caught up with all the woke bullshit that turns off working class people of all racial/ethnic groups unlike the elected socialists our country has, especially AOC). The model of socialism that Prof. Wolff advocates has a lot of things that make perfect sense to regular workers all across this country, and I know this because I've brought up the prospect of direct worker ownership with coworkers (some largely apolitical, others typical Democrats, and even a few Republicans) and they all like the idea! The issue is convincing working class people that a different system is possible, because we've all been beaten down for decade after decade and now working people down don't even believe change is possible.

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I want to subscribe for the video! But substack really needs more payment options. Only having a credit card option for payment, is 1. VERY American 2. Unnecessary! ;) No Paypal, no Crypto, no Bank/SEPA, hack fine! Apple Pay even!

Only having a credit card option is very 2001ish.

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prostitution is about control

I see in no time soon we should legalize this form of subordination

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Kyle poses a question at the end that gets to the heart of the issue: How are decisions/policies made that affect a wider constituency than the coop? Things like accounting for “externalities” and even societal priorities as to what to produce? This critical piece is missing from Wolff’s narrative. A solution was first presented in the early days of the Russian Revolution (before it degenerated under Stalinism.) What Wolff calls coops the Russians called soviets or “workers’ councils”. Not only did these run each enterprise, they made up the government. The national government was made up of delegates elected from local and regional soviets. So, not only did the equivalent of coops run each enterprise, they also (through their elected representatives) made up the national government and had complete democratic control of national priorities, planning and policy more broadly. In this way, the capitalists and their influence was completely replaced at every level. The problem with the Scandinavian model is that the commanding heights of the economy remain in private capitalist hands, and capitalism, if it means anything, means prioritizing profit over human needs. Also, the Scandinavian political system differs greatly from the early soviet one, the latter being truly unique and groundbreaking in removing money from politics and empowering working people directly. (Yes, the Soviet experiment degenerated in the face of scarcity, famine, war and aggression from host of capitalist countries bent on preventing “the power of a good example” and more. That’s another discussion. But it’s ultimate demise was far from inevitable.)

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Whole Foods have had very similar business model prior to Amazon acquisition.

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In my opinion Substack is not user friendly. I still haven’t figured out how to get KKF video that I paid for??? And, when I supposedly had an email sent to me from Substack regarding a “password”, I check my in box and NOTHING is there??? I’m getting ready to cancel my subscription.

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