To begin this series on key concepts in the political economy of unequal exchange, we introduce the notion of price of production schemas, based on average profits and cost-prices. The concept of the "price of production" is a central element of the economic analysis outlined in Volume III of "Capital." The price of production represents the average cost of production for a commodity in a given industry, including not only the direct costs of labor and materials but also a portion of the total capital invested in fixed assets (machinery, buildings, etc.). It is distinct from market prices, which can fluctuate due to supply and demand dynamics.

In this interview with Torkil Lauesen, we delve into Arghiri Emmanuel's work "Profit and Crises." We discuss the relationship between consumption, production, and crisis, the role of imperialism in creating crises, and the implications of Emmanuel's work for understanding global economic dynamics. We hope to delve deeper into "Profit and Crises" in the near future.

We read and analyze Walter Rodney's essay "Some Implications of the Question of Disengagement from Imperialism" - where he discusses Issa Shivji's text "The Silent Class Struggle" and its relation to Delinking, the Petty Bourgeoisie, Tanzanian Ujamaa and more.

Text here: https://www.marxists.org/subject/africa/rodney-walter/works/implicationsofdisengagement.htm

We interview Professor Immanuel Ness on his latest book, "Migration as Economic Imperialism." Professor Ness sheds light on the intricate connections between migration patterns, unequal exchange, and economic imperialism, offering a fresh perspective on the global movement of labor.

In this 2nd episode of our series on Unequal Exchange in the Congo, we discuss the efforts to continue mining after independence and the death of Lumumba, the regime of Mobutu, and the resistance of Pierre Mulele.

Here, we discuss the theories of David Ricardo and Bertil Ohlin, two classical (bourgeois) economists who popularized conceptions of comparative advantage related to the international division of labor to justify imperialism. We discuss how Unequal Exchange theory rebukes these notions and reveals the imperialism of "comparative advantage" and trade.Texts we discussed: https://www.marxists.org/reference/subject/economics/ricardo/tax/ch07.htmhttps://books.google.com/books/about/Interregional_and_International_Trade.html?id=MU1CAAAAIAAJ

Part 2 of our interview with Torkil on UE in the 21st Century, the intellectual and political history of the theories of Unequal Exchange and Dependency Theory, and how these apply within the context of neoliberal globalization.

In this interview, we explore the question of the semi-periphery vis-a-vis the semiconductor industry, which is one of the backbones of the global value chain and has been likened to gold or oil. We discuss what relevance this industry has to the global economy, and what it reveals about the possibilities of semi-peripheral advancement in a situation of core monopolization.

After the coup d'etat in Niger on 26 July 2023, members of the Diaspora Association of Republic of Niger Nationals (DARN-UK) protested in London against continued French occupation and neocolonialism. To learn more about the coup and Niger's history of anti-imperialist struggle, we interviewed Abdoul Mossi, leader of DARN-UK.

Torkil joins us to discuss the intellectual and political history of the theories of Unequal Exchange and Dependency Theory, and how these apply within the context of neoliberal globalization.