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Debunking Economics – the podcast — Education
Debunking Economics – the podcast

Economist Steve Keen talks to Phil Dobbie about the failings of the neoclassical economics and how it reflects on society.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Copyright: © Copyright 2016 . All rights reserved.

Latest Episodes:

Has the UK come the raw prawn over free trade? Jun 17, 2021

Show notes

Boris Johnson has enjoyed photo opportunities this week with Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison with the announcement of an ‘in-principle’ free trade agreement between the two countries. It’s the first new one for the UK outside those that already existed through the EU. Great news for biscuit eaters, because Tim Tams are so much better than Penguins. But it’s seen as bad news by UK farmers who adhere to standards that don’t exist in the UK. Like hormone fed beef. So, is it a bad deal? And what about the idea for free trade generally. The argument since Ricardo’s day was that for agricultural it removes the constraint of land and, therefore, the law of diminishing marginal return. That should make goods cheaper, even those made here. Is the theory right?

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The problem with now Jun 10, 2021

Show notes

The world is fixated with the present. We want to earn money quickly and spend it quickly. CEOs don’t care about much beyond their stock options, politicians only work to getting re-elected, consumers want instant gratification. It’s no wonder then that we’re not prepared to make compromises for long term consequences, like climate change, because the economic system we use has no way of managing our investment in the future. Is there a better way of managing the economy, in a way that ensures we look after the planet and provides for you in your old age?

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Relative Values Jun 03, 2021

Show notes

Today on the podcast Phil Dobbie talks to Steve Keen about the value of things. Supposedly, price is a substitute for value, meaning if someone is prepared to pay more for something then they must value it more. But as they discuss, that only applies if everyone has the same amount of money. A poor household will place greater value, as a proportion of their wealth, on heating their home. A rich household will see extra use of that same resources as a discretionary item that they place little value on, particularly relative to their income. So, is the concept of value another broken element of a modern capitalist economy, and is there a way to allocate resources more effectively? We know, from the Soviet experience, that getting the state to do it creates even worse results.

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Inflation – transitory, then what? May 26, 2021

Show notes

US inflation is now running at 4.2% on an annual basis, and producer prices the world over have been rising as input costs for product creep up. How much of this will be passed on to the consumer as companies struggle to absorb these costs – and what impact will these higher prices have on demand? Central banks are all toeing the same line, that rising inflation is only transitory, driven by supply chain disruption, so there’s n o need for them to respond by pushing up interest rates anytime soon. But will prices bounce back? In this week’s podcast Prof Steve Keen tells Phil Dobbie that the bigger concern, post-COVID, is going to be deflation. Listen in to find out why.

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Do central banks only help the rich? May 20, 2021

Show notes

This pandemic has been massive amounts spent by governments, and a chunk of that government debt is being bought by central banks. But with central banks buying up government bonds, whilst maintaining low interest rates, who is really benefiting? The answer, of course, is the wealthy. This week Steve Keen explains why the current situation is widening inequality, with the central banks at the front and centre of tis change. But government policy is helping too, in the wrong direction. So, is there any way out of this. Or has COVID-19 simply amplified a trend that was already upon us?

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Navigating out of the COVID crisis May 10, 2021

Show notes

There seems to be an assumption by many that the crisis we have experienced will quickly bounce back. Output will resume, demand will return, everyone will be back in work and the economy will rapidly expand back to where it was before COVID. Central banks appoint to supply chain disruption in the short term that might create transit inflation, but that’s the only obstacle to the road to recovery. Except, it’s not really working that way. There are forecasts for massive growth this year, but there’s not a lot of data to support these predictions. The US jobs recovery, for example, that was expected to see one million new jobs a month, has slowed right down. And yet the IMF expects the economy to grow by 6.4 percent this year, even though more than eight million Americans who had a job before the pandemic are still looking for work. So, what’s the best approach out of the crisis? What should Treasurers and policy makers the world over be focused on. A question Phil Dobbie puts to Steve Keen in this latest Debunking Economics podcast.

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A history of recessions, and why this is not so different May 02, 2021

Show notes

There’s one clear difference between this recession and almost all those that have gone before. This time there was a pandemic involved, which hit demand and supply equally. So are there any similarities between this global recession and those that have gone before. Phil Dobbie puts the question to Steve Keen in this latest Debunking Economics podcast.

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Removing the green premium Apr 24, 2021

Show notes

40 world leaders go together virtually this week, for a bit of an impromptu climate summit called by Joe Biden, before the next big climate conference (COP26) in Glasgow in November. In this edition of the Debunking Economics podcast, Phil Dobbie asks Steve Keen whether Bill Gatesd has the right approach. He advocates removing the green premium. His argument is, we don’t choose zero carbon emissions products because they are more expensive. If you remove this premium, then everyone will buy zero emission products and the problem will go away. Too simplistic?

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Yellen’s global tax is a non starter Apr 12, 2021

Show notes

Janet Yellen has repeatedly called for countries to raise their corporate taxes, so they are in-line with the increases she has planned for the US. There’s also been a call for companies to be taxed where they earn their revenue, rather than declaring profits in countries where tax is lowest. Her reasoning is transparent, of course. She wants to raise corporate taxes in the US and doesn’t want countries to move overseas, or shift their profits out of America. Is it a good idea? Prof Steve Keen likes the idea of a coordinated approach to tax, but can’t see it happening in reality. And can you do it for corporate tax without considering other measures? Like income tax, for example. And the moment you look at a coordinated fiscal approach to that extent aren’t you are stepping dangerously close to world government?

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Central banks investigate digital money Apr 04, 2021

Show notes

You might have thought that digital currencies were the domain of cryptocurrency evangelists, and were largely stores of wealth rather than money used for transactions. Now, it seems, central banks everywhere are investigating digital currencies as part of their modus operandi. Most money in central banks is digital, of course, so when they discuss digital money what exactly are they talking about? This week Phil Dobbier talks to Prof Steve Keen about why central banks are looking more closely at digital currencies, some of it good, some of it a little more sinister.

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