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Economic Update with Richard D. Wolff

Democracy at Work, Richard D. Wolff
Capitalism
Socialism
United States
China
Inequality
Trump Administration
Tariffs
Climate Change
Donald Trump
Artificial Intelligence
Karl Marx
Economic Inequality
Housing Crisis
BRICS
Gaza
Elon Musk
Communism
U.S. Economy
Democracy
Surplus

Economic Update with Richard D. Wolff is a weekly nationally syndicated program produced by Democracy at Work and hosted by Richard D. Wolff. The program explores complex economic issues and empowers listeners with information to analyze not only their own financial situation but the economy at large. Beyond focusing a critical eye on the economic dimensions of everyday life - wages, jobs, taxes, ... more

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes581Founded11 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
GovernmentPoliticsNews

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Artwork for Economic Update

Latest Episodes

This week on Economic Update, Professor Wolff presents updates on the Australian dockworkers' union's fight against A.I., the German auto workers' fight against VW layoffs, Private Suites running private terminals for rich U.S. flyers, and Bayer/Mons... more

This week on Economic Update, Professor Wolff presents an analysis of how markets work, which parts of society they favor and serve, and which they discriminate against. He also unpacks why markets are NOT the same as capitalism, and where markets ar... more

This week on Economic Update, Professor Wolff delivers updates on rising wages for app-based NYC food delivery workers, a wave of U.S. firms being sold to their workers, McDonald's disaster with an AI experiment, and how Canada's leader Carney is als... more

The central concept of Marx's contribution to a critical understanding of the capitalist economic system - the entry point into his distinctive analysis - is "the surplus." Today's show is devoted to making clear (1) what the surplus is, (2) how and ... more

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Recent Guests

Ann Larson
Author of Cleanup on Aisle Five, Essential Work, Poverty Wages, and the View Behind the Supermarket Register
Debt Collective; Economic Hardship Reporting Project
Episode: Supermarket Jobs, Super Exploitation
Ida Susser
Distinguished Professor of Anthropology, Graduate Center, CUNY
City University of New York
Episode: The Yellow Vests Mass Movement in France
Annie McGrew
PhD student and graduate worker in economics; member of the Center for Popular Economics
Center for Popular Economics, University of Massachusetts Amherst
Episode: Center for Popular Economics: Goals and Achievements
Will Chaney
Director of the Center for Popular Economics; active in the five college area
Center for Popular Economics
Episode: Center for Popular Economics: Goals and Achievements
Harriet Fraad
Mental health counselor and hypnotherapist, host of Capitalism Hits Home
Harriet Fraad/Capitalism Hits Home
Episode: Economic Update: The Global "Birth Strike" Changes Everything
Stephen Bezruchka
Professor of Population Health, University of Washington in Seattle; author
University of Washington
Episode: Born Sick in the USA: Improving The Health of a Nation
Teresa Ghilarducci
Labor economist and retirement security expert
New School University / University of Notre Dame (former)
Episode: The Great U.S. Pension Crisis
Richard RJ Eskow
Writer, journalist, host of The Zero Hour
The Zero Hour; Bernie Sanders campaign experience
Episode: Economic Update: The Reality, Hype, and Danger of A.I.
Rob Robinson
Formerly homeless community organizer; housing, land, and homelessness expert
New York City based human rights organization; adjunct professor at The New School
Episode: The US Housing Crisis Today

Host

Richard D. Wolff
Host and primary economist commentator focused on structural critiques of capitalism; often conducts interviews and hosts the program.

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 3k ratings
  • Great podcast. But they've gone video and i cant listen while i work without having my screen on.

    Podcast Addict
    3
    booger mcsugar
    2 months ago
  • My favorite

    Professor Wolff is one of my absolute favorite people. He explains complex concepts so well. He is also humble and personable and trustworthy. So glad he’s out here educating us.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Acyl
    United States3 months ago
  • Spittin Truth by Doc Wolff!

    Podcast Addict
    5
    RuminatingStoic
    4 months ago
  • Bias

    Our capitalist system gets stronger when natural disasters hit. Think of the tax raised from the overtime to repair workers, the materials ordered from factories (more income tax to those workers), the shelters, emergency food, etc.

    What if we decided to design a more resilient infrastructure that could sustain without the need for repetitive maintenance. We are far behind on the maintenance, raw sewage and water pipes burst or leak across the nation. Destroy the planet, make a dollar.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    WilderLead
    United States6 months ago
  • Required Liatening

    This podcast continues to impress. Clear concise and fair presentation of important topics. Don’t miss “understanding capitalism”. It is required reading and should be a part of any exploration of democracy, capitalism, and economics

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    BigErkki
    United States8 months ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Guests and host are often seen as credible and thought-provoking, with strong views that invite debate.
Some listeners feel the analysis is ideologically biased, though still valuable for alternative perspectives.
Listeners praise clarity and accessibility of economic concepts.
Audience appreciates rigorous critique of capitalism and actionable policy discussions.
Episodes on housing, pensions, and anti-war policy receive frequent engagement.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#188
United States/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#250
Canada/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#51
Spain/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#126
Colombia/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#127
Saudi Arabia/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#127
India/News/Politics

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

U.S. Capitalism as a Crisis for Men
Q: How are you helping those men who are self-aware or getting close to becoming self-aware in your therapeutic practice?
Therapy focuses on naming emotions with specificity, exploring childhood and later experiences, and encouraging openness and curiosity about feelings to build closer connections with others and reduce self-harmful patterns.
U.S. Capitalism as a Crisis for Men
Q: So let me begin by asking you, Tess, is it your sense as a practicing psychotherapist that men in the United States are particularly upset emotionally these days?
Yes, many men are experiencing loneliness and alienation, with patriarchal norms suppressing emotions other than anger, which fosters self-alienation and potential violent outbursts; the conversation centers on recognizing and articulating these feelings to counteract harmful coping mechanisms.
The Yellow Vests Mass Movement in France
Q: Would you call the Yellow Vests a left-wing movement, a right-wing movement, or something else entirely?
They began from diesel tax protests and expanded into a broad critique of capitalism, including universal entitlements; the participants did not fit neatly into a single ideological category.
Center for Popular Economics: Goals and Achievements
Q: Will the CPE include alternative ways of organizing the production of goods and services?
Will describes the curriculum as including a review of economic history and four flavors of socialism, with a focus on democratic, participatory forms like worker co-ops and WSDEs, beyond the traditional hierarchy of capitalist firms.
Center for Popular Economics: Goals and Achievements
Q: In a capsule, Annie, just directed to you, what is it that you're doing in the CPE that an economics curriculum in an economics department of an American college or university isn't doing, and that leads you to do what you've done by creating and building this institution?
Annie explains that the CPE focuses on political economy, broadening beyond neoclassical economics, teaching how economic systems function, their history, and the logics behind them, and connects personal experience to systemic analysis.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Economic Update

What is Economic Update about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A provocative, economics-focused show that interrogates capitalism and how macro forces shape daily life. Episodes repeatedly connect wage stagnation, unemployment, health outcomes, housing, and public policy to systemic structures, while proposing democratic or cooperative alternatives to traditional corporate ownership. Notable strengths include a steady stream of expert guests and a willingness to challenge mainstream narratives, making it useful for listeners who want clear, critical analysis of policy, markets, and power dynamics. The program often blends theory with current events, labor struggles, and historical context to frame actionable ideas for workers, policymakers, and allies.

A standout aspect is the ongoing emphasis on demo... more

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1. The Chris Hedges Report
2. Ralph Nader Radio Hour
3. The Socialist Program
4. Geopolitical Economy Report
5. Jacobin Radio

How many episodes of Economic Update are there?

Economic Update launched 11 years ago and published 581 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on Economic Update?

Recent guests on Economic Update include:

1. Ann Larson
2. Ida Susser
3. Annie McGrew
4. Will Chaney
5. Harriet Fraad
6. Stephen Bezruchka
7. Teresa Ghilarducci
8. Richard RJ Eskow

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