Episode 62: Participatory Economics (Parecon)––Interview with Michael Albert

Brendan and Andrew interview Michael Albert about his new book, No Bosses: A New Economy for a Better World. Albert summarizes the main ideas and components of his participatory economics (parecon) model; he also discusses what’s new about his latest book and why he wrote it. Albert and the co-hosts then discuss his view that an alternative future can and should be based on values (what we value). Do evaluations of what is possible have a role to play? Does “old ideological scripture”? Finally, Albert explains why he is against central planning and how planning in a participatory economy would differ from central planning.

 
In the episode’s current-events segment, the co-hosts discuss the “anti-mandate” truckers’ siege in Ottawa, as well as the recent popular uprising against it and the federal government’s invocation of the Emergencies Act. Reference is made to a New York Times editorial and a piece by Luke Savage in Jacobin.

 
Radio Free Humanity is a podcast covering news, politics and philosophy from a Marxist-Humanist perspective. It is co-hosted by Brendan Cooney and Andrew Kliman. We intend to release new episodes every two weeks. Radio Free Humanity is sponsored by MHI, but the views expressed by the co-hosts and guests of Radio Free Humanity are their own. They do not necessarily reflect the views and positions of MHI.

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