Scotonomics

The Jimmy Reid Foundation with Dave Watson.In this episode, we learn more about the foundation, which continues Jimmy Reid's work and legacy of fighting and winning workers' rights. We no doubt introduce Jimmy Reid to some of our listeners. We discuss the neoliberal attack on the labour movement and thoughts and ideas on why working-class institutions are underfunded across the UK.https://reidfoundation.scot

THE Scottish Government has an opportunity for a new economic direction, and the key is to focus on resilience.Things simply must change.Until we become independent, the Scottish Government must focus on making Scotland more resilient. Scotland is already seeing the negative impacts of climate change and changing global power dynamics, and it must react to them. The Scottish government must focus on food and energy security/sovereignty.

Everything you know about capitalism is wrong, although if you have been watching our episodes for a while, you will likely be aware of that fact!Free markets aren't really free. Record corporate pro­fits don't trickle down to everyone else. And we aren't empowered to make our own choices – they're made for us every day.In Vulture Capitalism, acclaimed journalist Grace Blakeley takes on the world's most powerful corporations by showing how the causes of our modern crisis are the intended result of our capitalist system. It's not broken, it's working exactly as planned. From JPMorgan to Boeing, Henry Ford to Richard Nixon, Blakeley shows us exactly where late-stage capitalism has gone wrong.Searing, explosive and timely, Vulture Capitalism is the book you need to understand what is happening in the world around you – and what you can do to change it.Book available now: https://www.amazon.es/Vulture-Capitalism-LONGLISTED-NON-FICTION-English-ebook/dp/B0CLJ6RSB4

What if the world's biggest marketplace (international foreign exchange) was hosted on a publicly owned system? What if all profit could be removed from the system? What would a truly level playing field look like? An Australian inventor had that vision. How do you think the big international banks responded to that? Find out the amazing story about "Alice" and what it tells us about the monetary system.https://www.amazon.co.uk/Alice-TM-biggest-untold-history/dp/0522880274

Economics Professor Stephanie Seguino from the University of Vermont takes us on a tour to understand and explain the relationship between inequality and economic growth. https://www.uvm.edu/cas/economics/profiles/stephanie-seguino

Aeron's book "Bankruptcy, Bubbles, and Bailouts: The Inside History of the Treasury Since 1976" delves into the complex and often secretive operations of the UK's Treasury, a central institution in shaping the country’s economic system. The narrative is constructed around interviews with over 50 key figures, providing a unique insider perspective on the decisions, successes, and failures that have influenced Britain's economy since the mid-1970s.This detailed account emphasizes the Treasury's dual image: on one side, a stabilizing force in times of economic crises, and on the other, a contributor to socio-economic disparities, policy mishaps, and growing inequalities. The book highlights botched privatizations, questionable financial initiatives, and a failure to anticipate major economic downturns as significant low points in the Treasury's history.William asked Aeron about his investigation into the Treasury, and they discussed what the institution of the Treasury tells us about our economy and our view of economics.

In this compelling interview, William sits down with author Russell Jones to delve into his latest work, "The Tyranny of Nostalgia: Half a Century of British Economic Decline." Through the lens of Jones's rigorous analysis, the interview explores how nostalgic sentiments have influenced and, at times, impeded Britain's economic progress over the last fifty years. With Scotland's future at the forefront of the discussion, William and Jones discuss the implications of this economic decline on Scotland's push for independence, examining the potential (Russell less so than William) for a more prosperous future untethered from the weight of British nostalgia. This dialogue is essential for anyone interested in understanding the economic underpinnings of the independence debate and the role of nostalgia in shaping national policy and identity.

Taken at Scotonomics Festival of Economics in Dundee in 2023, this is a lively discussion on the chances and challenges of Scotland delivering a well-being economy. Panel Amanda Burgauer, Common Weal, Gary Gillespie, Scottish Government and Frances Reynar, WeAll Alliance.