Economics is political. The “neutral” rules of the economy shape who has power, who gets protected, You can vote, work hard, do everything “right”, and still feel stuck. That’s not a personal failure, it’s how the system is built.In this special episode, economist Clara E. Mattei joins Richard D. Wolff to discuss her new book Escape from Capitalism, and how power hides inside “normal” economic rules, wages, debt, taxes, and public budgets.This is a sharp, accessible conversation about why economics is political, how “freedom” can mask coercion, and what it takes to build real democratic power.In this conversation, Mattei and Wolff unpack:• How “freedom” can hide coercion in everyday life• Why wages, debt, taxes, and public budgets shape what feels possible• How “tight budgets” and cutbacks discipline the majority, while protecting the few• Why blaming “bad leaders” misses the deeper mechanics• Why organizing and new forms of democratic participation matter📚 Get Clara Mattei’s book Escape from Capitalism(US, Simon and Schuster): https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Escape-from-Capitalism/Clara-E-Mattei/9781668085141(UK, Penguin): https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/468201/escape-from-capitalism-by-mattei-clara-e/9780241742181📘 Richard Wolff’s book https://www.democracyatwork.info/understanding_capitalism🔗 Follow Democracy at Work  @democracyatwrk  https://www.democracyatwork.info/🔔 Subscribe to FREE (Forum for Real Economic Emancipation)  @FreeFreeForum ❤️ Watch, learn more, and join the FREE Forum: https://freefreeforum.org 🌱 Support FREE & Help Us Grow: https://www.freefreeforum.org/donate#EscapeFromCapitalism #ClaraMattei #RichardWolff #PoliticalEconomy #DemocracyAtWork #Economics #Capitalism 🎧 Listen as a Podcast Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/free-with-clara-mattei/id1828302105Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5m5xbrPzTSmdGZFQuZP7ZC▶ Connect with FREELinktree:: https://linktr.ee/FreeFreeForumSubstack: https://freefreeforum.substack.com/X: https://x.com/freefreeforumBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/freefreeforum.bsky.socialInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/freefreeforum/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@freefreeforumFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/FreeFreeForum