Better Future with Michael Mezz
Better Future with Michael Mezz
Podcast Description
Bringing you the people, projects and ideas helping steer the world toward a better future.
Podcast Insights
Content Themes
The podcast focuses on themes of social justice, community organizing, and political activism, with episodes that delve into the rise of authoritarianism, the dynamics of capitalism versus environmentalism, and building community power, exemplified through discussions with guests such as Raymond Wei on grassroots movements and Aru Shiney-Ajay on climate activism.
Bringing you the people, projects and ideas helping steer the world toward a better future.
My guest today is Grace Blakeley – UK-based political economist and author of three books, including her most recent: Vulture Capitalism. We discuss how political and corporate elites work together to protect their interests, why governments prop up monopolies, and how “the system” isn’t broken – in fact, it’s working exactly as it’s designed. We also touch on the history of capitalism and enclosure, the global legacy of imperialism, and why the struggle for a better future is ultimately a struggle over power.
Learn more about Grace, her work, and her books: https://graceblakeley.co.uk/
Read Grace’s writing on Substack: https://graceblakeley.substack.com/
Support the Better Future podcast by subscribing:
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@michaelmezz
Substack: https://substack.com/@michaelmezzatesta
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/16K0dkbk35q0mTslKJJ7z0
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/better-future-with-michael-mezz/id1823942833
Follow Grace on social media:
Twitter: https://x.com/graceblakeley
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/grace.blakeley/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@graceblakeley0
00:00 Intro: Rich people don’t create jobs
01:16 Introducing Grace Blakeley
03:05 The system isn’t broken – it’s working as designed
10:46 Keynesianism, Marxism, and dialectical materialism
16:45 How state and corporate elites work together
22:44 The moral hazard of neoliberal capitalism
27:26 Who actually takes risk?
31:19 The history of enclosure & primitive accumulation
37:09 Capitalism’s expansion through colonialism & imperialism
43:40 The myth of “prosperity for all” under capitalism
51:28 The myth of innovation under capitalism
56:22 Trumpism’s destruction of visions for the future
59:08 The importance of unions & collective action
1:05:33 The importance of community & mutual aid
1:12:12 Diagnosing the recent success of the right
1:14:24 Embedding democracy in work & politics
1:18:24 Conclusion
Host/Creator: Michael Mezzatesta
Guest: Grace Blakeley
Editor: Nuria Salgado
Sound editor: Andre Corea
Designer: Amea Wadsworth
Thanks for watching episode 005. Lots more on the way :)
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