The Broader Market

And now for something completely different.

Matthew Taylor, former senior adviser to the UK Labor government, discusses the meaning of 21st Century Enlightenment and how it might help us address current challenges.

Professor Mark Blyth on austerity measures and why they are not nearly as straightforward as some would have you believe.

I am by no means a Marxist.  However, this does not mean Marx was entirely incorrect and has little use to the present debate.  To the contrary, as David Harvey points out in this spectacular animation, Marx is entirely relevant.  With reference to Marx’s writings, Harvey demonstrates that capital has an inherent quality that causes it to be concentrated in the hands of fewer individuals who jeopardize not only the efficiency of a capitalist system, but also the system itself (my words). While Harvey does not explicitly state as much, he seems to imply the need for a paradigm shift away from our present thinking about the way in which society is organized.  Regardless of your political stripe, this animated video is engaging and thought provoking.  It also offers a great summary of the dialogue that has taken shape across the world in response to the global financial crisis.