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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.

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Copyright: © Copyright 2016 . All rights reserved.

Latest Episodes:

The inefficiency of inequality Oct 05, 2018

Show notes

It’s often argued, by politicians and business owners, that higher wages cut into company profits, which is bad for the economy. Yet, lower wages cuts spending, and that’s worse for the economy. In this podcast Phil Dobbie asks how much more productive the economy would be if we saw a smaller difference between low wage earners and the filthy rich.

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Labour mobility – do we need more or less? Sep 18, 2018

Show notes

One of the reasons people voted for Brexit was to “take control of our borders”. Around the world, western leaders are echoing a similar message. It seems migrants are viewed more as a drain on resources than a boost to the economic output of a country. At the other end of the spectrum, there are some who argue that the world should have complete labour mobility and, if people could live where they wanted, then world GDP would double. Phil Dobbie asks Prof Steve Keen where this the optimum point on the spectrum. Is labour mobility a good thing or a bad thing?

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Are the Kiwis right to ban foreign home buyers? Sep 17, 2018

Show notes

A new law in New Zealand prevents foreign buyers from acquiring homes in there. It’s a response to rising house prices which, the government claims, is being driven by New Zealanders being outbid by people from overseas. Home ownership in New Zealand is now at its lowest level since 1951. So, will the plan work? Phil Dobbie asks Prof Steve Keen.

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Does a flattening yield curve mean a US recession is on the way? Sep 11, 2018

Show notes

The spread of yield between short and long term US Treasuries is narrowing. It could even invert, meaning the yield is higher on short term Treasuries than long dated ones. This is precisely what happened prior to every US recession – so does that mean another is on the way. A listener to the podcast wrote asking why yield curve inversion is such a reliable indicator of recession, if indeed it is? Phil Dobbie gives a quick explanation of what yield curves are, and Prof Steve Keen gives his reasoning on why it is flattening in the US right now. And does it mean a recession is on the way?

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The hypotheticals of Robinson Crusoenomics Aug 30, 2018

Show notes

Robinson Crusoe lives on a desert island with Man Friday. There’s no need for money. But then Woman Saturday comes along, selling goods that both men want to acquire, and they devise the concept of money, which she quickly grabs the lions share of. Next, they discover a large village on the other side of the island. How does that change the value of their three-person economy when they introduce an island-wide currency? Then, when they find a neighbouring island with a very productive economy, what is their money worth now? Phil Dobbie takes Prof Steve Keen through a series of hypotheticals, to understand the role money plays, right from its origins.

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Trump – good or bad for America? Aug 23, 2018

Show notes

He is running the only country in the G7 to see economic growth accelerate right now. His followers support him however much mud is slung his way. World leaders seem to be know towing to his demands for better trade deals, even though some would argue it smacks of protectionism. So, is Donald Trump doing a good job for America. In this edition of the Debunking Economics podcast Professor Steve Keen describes the US as a Mad Max economy – he tells Phil Dobbie the benefits will be short lived. Listen to find out why.

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Getting the balance right between government and private debt Aug 12, 2018

Show notes

Governments have been using the terms ‘fiscal conservatism’ and ‘austerity’ to bring down government spending. Often it’s meant transferring government commitments (like on education) to private or individual spending (like student loans). Phil Dobbie asks Prof Steve Keen if this a sensible way to encourage growth. If we accept that more spending by government increases the availability of money for people to spend, where do you draw the line? Isn’t there a risk that the government does too much, crowding out the activities of the private sector?

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Are universities losing critical thinking? Aug 01, 2018

Show notes

There was a time when universities embraced a diversity of thought – something that’s critical in a discipline as embryonic as economics. With so many neo-classic economists caught by surprise with the 2008 financial crisis, many would welcome alternatives to the models that served them so badly. Yet, in this podcast, Prof Steve Keen suggests to Phil Dobbie that the crisis seems to have made the university sector even more adamant to stick to mainstream theory and push aside anybody suggesting there might be a better way of looking at it all.

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The growth of credit is slowing money down Jul 26, 2018

Show notes

In this podcast Prof Steve Keen and Phil Dobbie revisit the velocity of money, with a focus on how increasing credit is a major determinant in why the speed of money transfers has been slowing markedly since the eighties. But, it’s not just that. As Steve observes, its part of a complex system. Far more complex than Friedman’s MV=PY equation. We also include comments from listeners who listened to the first podcast on this topic.

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What’s the main driver of inflation? Jul 20, 2018

Show notes

There’s the theory that the supply of money is a major contributor to the rate of inflation. Prof Steve Keen says the central banks have spent the last ten years unsuccessfully trying to demonstrate as much. The need for money to be issued to cover government debt has often been levelled as a cause of inflation and a reason for the austerity measures that have been so prevalent in the last decade. Nobody wants to end up like Zimbabwe, right? In this podcast Phil Dobbie asks Prof Steve Keen what’s the real cause of inflation, if it’s got little to do with the supply of money. Is it the cost-push argument? If so, why is inflation reluctant to rise back up to pre-financial crisis levels?

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