SMART TALK

SMART TALK
Well-known and widely respected economists, political scientists and social thinkers examine Henry George’s philosophies in today’s society and economy

March 3, 2025
Smart Talk: Guaranteed Income as a Pillar of True Democracy

In this edition of Smart Talk, Tom Rossman speaks with UBI advocate and author Steven Shafarman about his work in promoting a guaranteed basic income. According to Shafarman, a guaranteed income is not just a response to disruption in labor markets, it is a necessity for freedom and true democracy.

October 9, 2024
Smart Talk: What’s Driving the Skyscraper Boom?

In this edition of Smart Talk, Edward Dodson discusses with Dr. Jason Barr, Professor of Economics at Rutgers University, the findings of his new book, Cities in the Sky – The Quest to Build the World’s Tallest Skyscrapers. Dr. Barr details the key factors behind the global building spree. He explains why these big buildings appeal to cities and nations, how they get financed, why they succeed or fail, and how they change a city’s skyline and enable the world’s greatest metropolises to thrive in the 21^st century.

June 3, 2024
Smart Talk: UBI – What It Is and Why We Need It

This edition of Smart Talk features Dr. Karl Widerquist, Professor of Philosophy at Georgetown University – Qatar. Professor Widerquist defines what UBI is, how it works and why it differs from other redistributional policies. He summarizes the arguments for and against UBI, discusses its potential costs, the options for paying for it as well as the existing evidence on its probable effects.

May 13, 2024
Smart Talk: AI and the Future of Workers

This episode of Smart Talk features a conversation on AI with Tom Rossman from the Junto Group and Trustee at the Henry George School.

According to Rossman, AI induced shifts in labor markets could affect the working class in more ways than just job losses. In his view, UBI which is often presented as the solution is not necessarily the most effective answer.

Watch this episode to learn why!

February 27, 2024
Smart Talk: The State of the US Economy – The Real Story Behind the Statistics

While the US economy has performed far better than its counterparts in the Western world, official statistics tend to paint a rosier picture of labor markets than reality. In this edition of Smart Talk, Dr. Jack Rasmus, Professor of Economics at St. Mary College argues that many of the statistics on unemployment and inflation are cherry picked by policy makers and the media in order to boost consumer and business sentiment. Dr. Rasmus also discusses inflation which he attributes mainly to price gouging, enabled by monopolistic tendencies in some sectors of the economy.

December 20, 2023
Smart Talk: Democratic Theory Naturalized

In this edition of Smart Talk, Ed Dodson discusses the meaning of a truly democratic republic and the impact of populism on systems of law and public policy with Dr. Walter Horn. According to Dr. Horn, a thriving democracy needs populist arrangements. Tune in to this Smart Talk to learn the three elements that Dr. Horn says define populism.

October 18, 2023
Smart Talk: Macroeconomics for a warming planet

What kind of macroeconomics is needed to address the challenge of climate change? That’s the question at the center of this edition of Smart Talk with New School Economics Professor, Willi Semmler. His latest book, co-authored with Unurjargal Nyambuu, Sustainable Macroeconomics – Climate Risks and Energy Transitions yields many solutions that he shares in this interview.

July 3, 2023
Smart Talk: A Game Designer Meets Henry George

This edition of Smart Talk features Lars Doucet, Director of Outreach at Common Ground USA. Mr. Doucet is the author of Land is a Big Deal, a fascinating summary of the Economics of Henry George. In this captivating conversation, Mr. Doucet explains how his work as a computer game designer allowed him to observe the principles of political economy at work as predicted by Henry George in Progress and Poverty.

June 5, 2023
Smart Talk: Why is your Rent so Damn High?

Mark Mollineaux, host of the Henry George Program at KZSU is our guest for this edition of Smart Talk. The conversation highlights the widening gap between incomes and housing costs which makes homeownership an unattainable dream for many hard working American families. According to Mark, this phenomenon is driven by the “law of rent” as espoused by Henry George. Mark also discusses alternative pathways to affordability such as limited equity co-ops, a solution that met with great success in Singapore and Europe.

May 20, 2023
Smart Talk: A Conversation with Marc Morial of the National Urban League

In this edition of Smart Talk, Dr. Marty Rowland speaks with Marc Morial, former mayor of New Orleans, President and CEO of the National Urban League. The conversation covers a broad range of issues, ranging from housing discrimination through redlining to policies aimed at reviving American cities.

April 25, 2023
Smart Talk: How Henry George Shaped Modern Liberalism

Land and Liberty: Henry George and the Crafting of Modern Liberalism is the newly published book by Dr. Christopher England, professor of history at Georgetown University.

In this edition of Smart Talk, Ed Dodson speaks with Dr. England about George’s greatest contribution to the liberal movement: his popularization of the notion of social value via his emphasis on land value. They discuss how George re-contextualized liberalism in a way that builds off early Lockean ideas on the right to own what one produces.

February 24, 2023
Smart Talk: Congestion Pricing – Lessons from London’s decade long experience

In this episode, Ed Dodson speaks with Dave Wetzel, former vice chair of Transport for London. This local government body was tasked with designing and implementing London’s first congestion pricing system to address the city’s intractable traffic problems. Dave draws several interesting connections between Georgist philosophy and congestion pricing which he refers to as “a land value tax on wheels.” He also discusses the initial expectations of the plan, what went right and the things that need to be improved.

December 26, 2022
Smart Talk: Solving Toronto’s Housing Problem – Could LVT be the Solution?

In this edition, Ed Dodson speaks with Chloe Brown, policy analyst with the Canadian government and candidate in Toronto’s 2022 mayoral election. The conversation centers around urban issues such as housing and highlights the promises of LVT as a solution.

June 22, 2022
Smart Talk: A conversation with Jeff Smith

In this episode, Edward Dodson speaks with Jeffrey Johnson Smith, Georgist scholar and social justice activist, about his work promoting the ideas of Henry George. While the discussion highlights historical milestones achieved by Georgism, it also stresses the challenges it faces re-building a social movement with a lasting impact on public policy.

May 6, 2022
Is Georgism Relevant today?

This edition of Smart Talk features a conversation between Edward Dodson and Nicolaus Tideman; professor of Economics at Virginia Tech. The discussion highlights the relevance of Henry George’s philosophy as well as its potential for addressing some of today’s public policy challenges.

December 7, 2021
Tackling Climate Change – The Case for Carbon Pricing

In this episode of Smart Talk, Edward Dodson speaks with Yoram Bauman, the world’s first ( and only ) stand-up economist about the benefits of carbon pricing and his efforts for its adoption in the United States and Canada. Dr. Bauman has authored many books and written extensively on tax reform. His new book, The Cartoon Introduction to Climate Change, has been translated in many languages.

October 29, 2021
Basic Income and How to Pay for it

In this episode of Smart Talk, Ed Dodson and Floyd Marinescu, founder of UBIWorks Canada and CEO of C4 Media, discuss the challenges to our social safety nets posed by the combined effects of labor displacement by technology and the private appropriation of the commons. According to Marinescu, the collection of economic rent, which he sees as the technological inheritance of humanity, is not only the most equitable, but also the most effective method for funding a basic income for all.

Sepetember 7, 2021
Smart Talk with Jack Rasmus

Jack Rasmus is back on Smart Talk to discuss the state the of the US economy after the pandemic-induced recession.

March 15, 2021
Smart Talk with Fred Harrison

Fred Harrison is back on Smart Talk to discuss his new trilogy “Hashtag We are Rent” where he presents a new approach to spreading George’s message. According to Harrison, the marketing of the message is just as important as the message itself and there is an urgent need for a narrative to captivate public imagination and influence behavior and policy.

March 9, 2021
Snapshot with Edward Harrison

In this Snapshot, I had the pleasure of speaking with Edward Harrison, a banking and Finance expert and also a trustee at the Henry George School about the current economic recovery.

December 7, 2020
Smart Talk with Frances Chiu

In this episode of Smart Talk, Ed Dodson speaks with Frances Chiu, professor of history and literature at the New School of Social Research, New York about a her newly released book – The Routledge guide to Thomas Paine’s Rights of Man. This interesting exchange reveals the inestimable but often unacknowledged influence that Paine had and continues to have today on the progressive movement in the United States and beyond.

November 16, 2020
Smart Talk with Charles Marohn

In this breathtaking interview, Edward Dodson speaks with Charles Marohn, Executive Director of Strong Towns, a Minnesota based non-profit organization that advises communities throughout the United States and Canada on how to build better and financially resilient cities.

September 15, 2020
Welcome to Snapshots

Welcome to Snapshots, our new short video series where we look at current events through a Georgist lens. My guest today is Edward J. Dodson, a former financial sector professional and Georgist scholar with many years of teaching experience at various academic institutions.

August 17, 2020
Smart Talk with Dr. Charles Clark

In this interview, Aleksandr Gevorkyan of the Henry George School speaks with Dr. Charles Clark, professor of Economics at St. John’s University on Universal Basic Income in the light of Catholic social thought.

June 25, 2020
Smart Talk with Peter Doyle

In this edition of Smart Talk, Ed Dodson speaks with Former IMF economist Peter Doyle on why slavery, arguably the biggest wealth transfer in history has been a complete blind spot in the discipline of Economics. According to Peter, not only did classical economists get the issue of slavery wrong, but so too did heterodox economists. The problem, he argues lies with what he calls the “agency problem” which provided cover for some people to own and appropriate the labor of others.

May 18, 2020
Smart Talk with Phil Anderson

In this edition, Ed and Phil Anderson of Economic Indicator Services, explore in detail the tendency of capitalist economies to experience periodic cycles of booms and bust. The conversation reveals an intimate relationship between business cycles and what Georgists have identified as the “18-Year land cycle”. According to Phil, every major business cycle since the 1800s has been preceded by a rise and fall in land prices, so that the most effective way to predict and prevent major fluctuations in the economy is to tame the land cycle through land value taxation.

March 27, 2020
Smart Talk with Alanna Hartzok

In this episode of Smart Talk, Ed speaks with Alanna Hartzok, co-founder and co-director of Earth Rights Institute on how to fund the Green New Deal, America’s radical plan to decarbonize its economy and address climate change.

December 4, 2019
Smart Talk with Dr. Robin Gaster

Amazon’s stunning rise from a garage-based operation to retail and technology colossus is by now well-known. Much less known however, is the fact that Amazon is on the verge of extending its dominion over the entire American book industry – including publishing. In this edition of Smart Talk, Alan and his guest, Economist Robin Gaster discuss the epic story of Amazon’s momentous rise and its wide-ranging implications.

July 22, 2019
Smart Talk with Fred Foldvary

In this edition of Smart Talk, Ed Dodson speaks with Professor Fred Foldvary, one of the few economists who predicted the 2007 financial crisis, on the state of the US Economy. This interesting exchange reveals the main flaws of policy responses offered by Progressives, which are well-intended but fundamentally misguided for they treat the effect of bad outcomes rather than eliminating their cause.

May 15, 2019
Smart Talk with Marie Mora

This episode of Smart Talk features Marie Mora, Professor of Economics at the University of Texas, Rio Grande Valley. Pr. Mora shares the findings of her research on economic conditions and the general outlook for Puerto Rico before and after hurricane Maria. She argues that the island’s economic woes date back from 2006 when businesses began scaling back and moving out following the expiration of the 1976 tax credits….

March 19, 2019
Smart Talk with Rick Rybeck

In this edition of Smart Talk, Joshua Vincent speaks with Rick Rybeck, Director of Just Economics LLC about Land Value Return and Recycling, a policy tool that helps communities recover and reinvest increases in land values resulting from publicly funded infrastructure. The lively conversation reveals the dysfunctions and inefficiencies in our existing funding mechanisms, and stresses the case for LVRR, a proven device for sustainable urban growth and financially self-sustaining infrastructure.

February 8, 2019
Smart Talk with Jorge Castañeda

A new trade deal is in place, a disruptor is in the White House, and Mexico has just sworn in a new leftist president.

In this edition of Smart Talk, Alan Tonelson of the Henry George School and Dr. Jorge Castañeda, former Foreign Minister of Mexico and renowned expert on Western Hemisphere affairs; discuss the future of the continent’s highly integrated economy on trade, immigration, and other thorny issues.

December 21, 2018
Smart Talk with Colleen Woodell

In this episode of Smart Talk, Jeffrey Previdi of the Henry George School speaks with Colleen Woodell, former Chair of the MSRB about the role and importance of Municipal Bonds, a primary source of funding for state and local infrastructure and an investment vehicle of choice for American households. Jeff and Colleen also highlight the theoretical plausibility of an LVT linked muni bond market, but stress the heavy reliance of our existing revenue system on the property tax as the single most important obstacle to its implementation.

August 17, 2018
Smart Talk with Edward Nell

In this special edition of Smart Talk, Ed Dodson speaks with Professor Emeritus Edward J. Nell, Vice President of the Henry George School about his new book, Progress and Poverty in Economics – How Real Estate and Rents cause Financial Instability.

Professor Nell warns against the dangers of bloated finance and calls for its reconceptualization as a public good that supports the real economy rather than draining it. He argues that an over-sized financial sector not only causes systemic fragility, it also undermines growth prospects by diverting resources and talent away from the productive economy toward rent seeking activities.

June 20, 2018
Smart Talk with Ed Dodson & Fred Harrison

Is the Georgist philosophy making new inroads in public policy? According the Fred Harrison, not as much as it should and the reason is to be found not in the relevance of the message but in the way it is being articulated (by the followers of Henry George.)

This episode of Smart Talk stresses the need for Georgists to seize the opportunity offered by the ongoing disenchantment with mainstream economics by crafting a message that would resonate with younger generations who are eager to find alternatives.

May 21, 2018
Smart Talk with Dr. Robin Gaster

Resilience to technological disruption has always been a defining characteristic of advanced capitalist economies but are we prepared for the next one? – meaning, artificial intelligence and automation.

Alan Tonelson’s guest, Dr. Robin Gaster argues in this edition of Smart Talk that given the speed, depth and scope of the challenge, this time is really different. Not only are machines poised to take over many of our jobs, our social institutions have been unable to keep pace with the tremendous changes that are already altering labor markets.

May 2, 2018
Smart Talk with Edward Dodson & Dr Jack Rasmus

The Trump Tax Cuts : A Relief for the Middle Class or Corporate Welfare on Steroids?

In this edition of Smart talk, Ed Dodson of the Henry George School and his guest, Dr. Jack Rasmus debunk many of the misconceptions surrounding the latest tax overhaul.

Instead of new capital investments and the promised massive job creation, they predict that the tax cuts will most certainly boost the financial economy at the expense of the real economy with more share buybacks, more corporate mergers and acquisitions and worsening income inequality.

March 13, 2018
Smart Talk with Edward Dodson, Dr. Marty Rowland and Daniel Bromley

Why Mainstream Economics is Failing Us: The Need for a Paradigm Shift

In this episode of Smart Talk, Edward Dodson and his guests, Dr. Marty Rowland and Economist Daniel Bromley, emeritus professor at the University of Wisconsin, Madison discuss major shortcomings of mainstream economics. They critique its excessive reliance on abstract models with little relation to reality and its inability to predict and therefore prevent financial crises.

This episode also covers a broad range of issues, such as the role of land in the economy, the nature of property rights, the rise of finance capital, and official development assistance; where good intentions and billions of dollars in aid money failed to make a dent on poverty.MBA in Finance from Columbia University and a BA in Economics from Dartmouth College.

February 7, 2018
Smart Talk with Edward Harrison: The Economics of Rising Populism in Europe

In recent years, Europe has seen an unexpected rise of populism, culminating in the UK’s Brexit vote, a strong showing of Marine Le Pen in the French Presidential elections in 2017, the stunning electoral success of the far right in Austria as well as the renaissance of the left in Southern Europe.

In this episode of Smart Talk, Alan Tonelson of the Henry George School and his guest, Edward Harrison discuss the economics behind the sudden surge of populism in Europe and explain its persistence in spite of a generally improving economic climate.

October 6, 2017
Smart Talk with Edward Dodson and Gordon Lafer

In this edition of Smart Talk, Ed Dodson and his guest, Gordon Lafer discuss how corporate lobbies are leveraging the Reagan era de-federalization legacy to underwrite laws that weaken labor unions, lower wages and degrade essential public services one State at a time. The aggregate result is a marginalized working class and a growing income inequality that is not only bad for economic growth but also undermines our democratic institutions.

July 25, 2017
Smart Talk with Andrew Mazzone and Lindy Davies

Does land still matter in the 21^st Century economy and can Henry George’s principles still be put to effective use today?

Andrew Mazzone and Lindy Davies insist the answer is “yes.” See how they believe a Georgist System could be put to work, and why it should appeal to lawmakers and citizens across a broad political spectrum.

May 30, 2017
Smart Talk: Big Data, Bad Math, Major Problems by Cathy O’Neil.

Forget Big Brother. That’s so 1984. The 21st century is the era of Big Data—and algorithms—that increases inequality and threatens democracy. In this edition of Smart Talk, mathematician Cathy O’Neil joins Andrew Mazzone to discuss how countless algorithms are standing in for human control and judgment, in ways that are not always evident, transparent or beneficial.

April 9, 2017
Smart Talk with Andrew Mazzone and Costas Lapavitsas

In this episode of Smart Talk, Andrew Mazzone and economist Costas Lapavitsas discuss how the profound effects of financialization have been felt in Greece, throughout Europe and here in America—and not to the benefit of working people, infrastructure and society. Dr. Lapavitsas argues that challenging the devastating impact of financialization is a necessary task that must be confronted head on.

March 24, 2017
Smart Talk: The Coming War on Capitalism by Samir Amin

Renowned political economist Samir Amin has devoted his extensive career to both narrate and affect the human condition on a global scale. In this edition of Smart Talk, he joins Andrew Mazzone to discuss the impact of the cataclysmic forces of capitalism from the post-World War era to the present day.

February 7, 2017
Dr. Jack Rasmus: Financialization and the Marginalization of the American Worker

Dr. Jack Rasmus of St. Mary’s College in California is an author, journalist, and radio -TV commentator with strongly held views on how U.S. economic domination shaped the world after World War II and how today’s changing world in turn is reshaping the American economic scene.

February 7, 2017
A Blueprint for Progress, by Fred Harrison

Fred Harrison of Britain’s Land Research Trust sounded an early warning before the 2008 global economic meltdown. Now he sounds a warning that another economic crisis is on the way.

December 11, 2016
Trump, the Economy and You: What can America expect from a Donald Trump presidency?

Andrew Mazzone of the Henry George School of Social Science looks at some of the tantalizing clues from Trump’s career and campaign, and offers some surprising forecasts.

November 17, 2016
Progress? For Wealth, Not Against Poverty. Andrew Mazzone, John Roemer and the View from Yale

John E. Roemer, a Yale economist and political scientist, discusses the perils and prospects of capital and capitalism, how economic trends are affecting labor and society, and what it means for the place of the U.S. in the world. Capital fell on some not-so-hard times after World War I and World War II.

November 17, 2016
Unease over Easy Money: Andrew Mazzone and Michael Mattie Look at the Perils of the Money Pump

Quantitative easing is a way for the government to pump huge amounts of money into asset markets. As with any flood this can create wreckage.

November 11, 2016
Smart Talk: Interview with Andy Stern, former President of the SEIU

Andy Stern, the former head of the Service Employees International Union (“SEIU”) and author of “A Country that Works“, talks about building his over 1.9-million-member union.

November 11, 2016
Smart Talk with Dr. Marty Rowland

Setting standards for official accountability and infrastructure management may sound unexciting, but Dr. Marty Rowland brings these vital topics to life in a Smart Talk discussion with Andrew Mazzone of the Henry George School of Social Science.

November 2, 2016
Smart Talk: Steve Taft discusses his book, A True Free Market

You’re never going to talk to a bigger fan of capitalism than Stephen Taft, author and Senior Vice President of a major Wall Street firm. He talks about bringing Henry George’s land-tax ideas into the modern era. Steve speaks with Andrew Mazzone of the Henry George School of Social Science about his book, “A True Free Market.”

October 14, 2016
Smart Talk: Interview with Dr. Paul Davidson

We don’t just think of Professor Paul Davidson as one of today’s leading post-Keynesian economists. He’s also the economist whose insights and predictions about the economy have been proven right, time and again.

September 5, 2016
Smart Talk: Andrew Mazzone and James K. Galbraith – Welcome to the Poisoned Chalice

In this new episode of Smart Talk, we had the privilege of interviewing Dr. James K. Galbraith about his new work, Welcome to the Poisoned Chalice, The Destruction of Greece and the Future of Europe.

Henry George’s principles. Our society. Your life. Discover it all, free.

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