Ask Prof Wolff

A Patron of Democracy at Work asks: "I, as a socialist myself, agree with the socioeconomic model that you advocate, with worker-owned cooperatives substituting today's private businesses. However, making the actual changes, reforms and, if you like, revolution, would also bring an end to stocks, stock-based companies, and the stock market. I can't get my head around how we actually get rid of the capitalist stock markets without letting the state take over with force or having the capitalists cause big damages to the economy as an act of revenge. What should we do with the stock market?"

This is Professor Richard Wolff's response.

To submit your own question for Prof. Wolff, join Democracy at Work on Patreon at www.patreon.com/democracyatwork

A Patron of Democracy at Work asks: "Based on the content that I consume, my expectation is that factions of the 1% like BlackRock intend to own all family housing in America and rent it to us. The prices of homes going down paired with higher interest rates makes the game even more favorable for those who can buy these properties in one payment. My question is, how will these parasites intercept houses from young people who are expecting to inherit their parent's home? Is there a mechanism for them to do that?"

This is Professor Richard Wolff's response.

To submit your own question for Prof. Wolff, join Democracy at Work on Patreon at www.patreon.com/democracyatwork

A Patron of Democracy at Work asks: "As we see billions once more go to Ukraine, as we have seen trillions upon trillions go to wars since WWII, isn't it correct to say that Military-Keynesianism is fascism? Technocratic fascism? If so, why? And if not, why not? A Boeing factory in every state, not to mention other military contractors that pay off the coin-operated politicians signifies fascist to me."

This is Professor Richard Wolff's response.

To submit your own question for Prof. Wolff, join Democracy at Work on Patreon at www.patreon.com/democracyatwork

A Patron of Democracy at Work asks: "Can there be another segment about surplus and economic sinks? If capital has to increase all the time, why is there a surplus? And if there is a surplus, why can't we spend it on social programs like health care and infrastructure?"

This is Professor Richard Wolff's response.

To submit your own question for Prof. Wolff, join Democracy at Work on Patreon at www.patreon.com/democracyatwork

A Patron of Democracy at Work asks: "The war of ideas is real and, as often as I can, I engage with opposing ideas. From my perspective, I find that socialistic approaches to most social/economic issues check the box of many of the purported ideals of my more/less conservative neighbors, however, I cannot pierce the armor of their preconceptions. I'm tired of blaming their propaganda consumption. I want to affect their actions, not blame their cause. How can we overcome this deterrence? The cold hard merit of my arguments is not enough to overcome their insulation. Is there a better tactic for day-to-day arguments than relying on the merit of my arguments to bear fruit?"

This is Professor Richard Wolff's response.

To submit your own question for Prof. Wolff, join Democracy at Work on Patreon at www.patreon.com/democracyatwork

A Patron of Democracy at Work asks: "Is capitalism a religion? Has it become the established religion of the United States?"

This is Professor Richard Wolff's response.

To submit your own question for Prof. Wolff, join Democracy at Work on Patreon at www.patreon.com/democracyatwork

A Patron of Democracy at Work asks: "Are any complex systems eternally homeostatic? Cyclic behavior is a euphemism for millions of people will lose their jobs and homes, quit school, etc. I don't think that anyone imagines an economic system sans fluctuations. That would be truly Utopian. Or dystopian rather because fluctuations can be rightly considered a healthy feature of complex systems. But my overall impression in listening to professor Wolff is that these instabilities are borne in no small measure from the fundamental tensions that constitute the employer/ employee relationship."

This is Professor Richard Wolff's response.

To submit your own question for Prof. Wolff, join Democracy at Work on Patreon at www.patreon.com/democracyatwork

A Patron of Democracy at Work asks: "Hello, I am an officially retired person, although I continue to work on projects in the arts, in part to supplement Social Security and in part as a labor of love. I often feel that I am somewhat excluded from the critical effort I see here to remake our work lives. What role can seniors play? We do, after all, possess lifetimes of experience."

This is Professor Richard Wolff's response.

To submit your own question for Prof. Wolff, join Democracy at Work on Patreon at www.patreon.com/democracyatwork

A Patron of Democracy at Work asks: "I was wondering if there has ever been a political party that focuses primarily on the formation, maintenance and sustenance of worker co-ops? My understanding is that worker co-ops are all inclusive by design and would include folks that have been marginalized by society (i.e. people of color, women, gay folks, etc). Would it be useful to develop a political party in the U.S. whose primary focus would be on worker co-ops?"

This is Professor Richard Wolff's response.

To submit your own question for Prof. Wolff, join Democracy at Work on Patreon at www.patreon.com/democracyatwork

A Patron of Democracy at Work asks: "One issue I hope Prof. Wolff might address is a comparative analysis of the role of for-profit vs. non-profit corporations. For example, in the recent shows on inflation, he notes that raising prices by the employer is motivated by profit maximization. This dynamic can't play an obvious role for a non-profit, but they could raise prices to maximize the salaries of high-ranking corporate employees. But do they? Alternatively, would we be better off with more non-profits? The big picture here would be invaluable."

This is Professor Richard Wolff's response.

To submit your own question for Prof. Wolff, join Democracy at Work on Patreon at www.patreon.com/democracyatwork