Episode 142. Symposia - The Economics of Skyscrapers
Today’s discussion was recorded in October of 2024 between our host, Ed Dodson, and our guest, Dr. Jason Barr.
Dr. Barr is a professor at Rutgers University-Newark and a fellow at NYU’s Marron Institute, where he researches real estate, urban economics, and the economics of skyscrapers. Dr. Barr is on the editorial boards of the Journal of Real Estate Finance and the Eastern Economic Journal. He is also the author of two books: Cities in the Sky and Building the Skyline, both of which examine the economic justifications and appeal of constructing large urban buildings. Dr. Barr earned his bachelor’s degree in consumer economics and housing from Cornell, his master’s in creative writing from Emerson College, and his PhD in economics from Columbia University.
Dr. Barr discussed the history of New York’s skyline, how speculators and developers recoup their investments on skyscrapers, and why cities need to become more dense and transportation-oriented.
Episode 141. Symposia - Branko Milanovic's visions of inequality
Today’s discussion was recorded in October of 2024 and was held with Dr. Branko Milanovic.
Dr. Milanovic is a senior scholar at the Stone Center on Socio-Economic Inequality and one of the leading scholars on income inequality in the world. He worked as a lead economist at the World Bank’s research department for 20 years and as a senior associate at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. He has held numerous professorships at universities such as the University of Maryland, Johns Hopkins University, the London School of Economics, and the New School, where he currently teaches. He is the author of several influential books including "The Haves and the Have—Nots," "Capitalism Alone," and his newest book, "Visions of Inequality." Dr. Milanovic earned his Ph.D. from the University of Belgrade.
Dr. Milanovic discussed his newest book, a history of thought around inequality, and why he did not include Henry George in his book, even though he is such an important thinker on this subject.
Episode 140. A Georgist banking system
Today’s discussion was recorded in November 2024 and is with Mr. Jamal Thomas, the first-place winner of our 2024 Annual Writing Contest.
Mr. Thomas is a college student at El Camino College, where he studies electrical engineering. He spent approximately six years in the United States Navy as a Nuclear Machinist Mate. He is also a member of California Common Ground to advocate community and state-wide political change.
Mr. Thomas discussed his idea for a more equitable banking system and how it could fund universal basic income.
Episode 139. A dialogue between Henry George and John Locke
Today’s discussion was recorded in November 2024 and is with Mr. Paul Forrester, the second-place winner of our 2024 Annual Writing Contest.
Mr. Forrester is a Ph.D. candidate at Yale University's philosophy department where he researches ethics, political philosophy, and how institutions make economic cooperation more feasible. He has authored several papers, including The Desire Machine, New Argument for Uniqueness about Evidential Support, Concurrent Awareness Desire Satisfactionism, and many others. Mr. Forrester earned his bachelor’s degree in Philosophy and Political Science from Duke University and is currently working on his Ph.D at Yale.
Mr. Forrester discussed a dialogue between John Locke and Henry George, both of their theories of self-ownership, and why natural resources are necessary for all economic and human activity.
Episode 138. Rethinking Economics: How should we think about development?
Today's episode is the third of a 3-part series featuring professors from Clark University, hosted by Nathan Greene.
Dr. David Bell is an international education consultant trained in psychology. He is the founder and director of Ubuntu Consulting, an educational evaluation company, where he works as a program evaluation consultant, designing and assessing education initiatives both in the U.S. and globally. Before moving to the United States, Dr. Bell worked extensively in Southern Africa, focusing on community development and educational improvement. He has worked at numerous international NGOs focussing on social change, such as the Center for Cognitive Development, the Kellogg Foundation, and the Karuna Center for peace building. Much of Dr. Bell’s research explores transformational leadership, experiential learning, and the role of education in development. He earned his bachelor’s degree in Education and Counseling Psychology from the University of Port Elizabeth, his master’s in Education and Counseling Psychology from Rhodes University, and his doctorate of education in Education Policy, Research Administration, and Comparative Education from the University of Massachusetts Amherst.
Dr. Bell discussed what development means to different people, the difference between economic growth and development, and why people conceptualize these two things so differently.
Episode 137. Rethinking Economics: Why economic indicators don't tell the whole story
Today's episode is the second of a 3-part series featuring professors from Clark University, hosted by Nathan Greene.
Dr. Denise Bebbington is currently a research associate professor at Clark University, where she is the co-director of the Center for the Study of Natural Resources Extraction and Society, a research institute within Clark. Before she became a professor, Dr. Bebbington worked as a representative to Peru for the Inter-American Foundation, South American regional sub-director for Catholic Relief Services, and Latin America Program Coordinator for the Global Greengrants Fund. She has extensive on-the-ground experience working on development projects in South America, especially when it comes to democratization and strengthening institutions. Her research focuses on the political ecology of Latin America’s extractives industries and how it impacts indigenous communities. Her writings explore the intersection of gender, the environment, and development. She has authored and coauthored numerous books and articles for publications such as Environmental Science and Policy, World Development, the European Review of Latin American and Caribbean Studies, as well as many others. She earned her bachelor's degree from UC Berkeley in history, her master’s in Development Management from American University, and her PhD in Development Policy and Management from the University of Manchester.
Dr. Bebbington discussed why conventional economic indicators like GDP fail to capture the true development story of a country, Latin America’s growth in the 21st century, and why large-scale infrastructure projects tend to be disruptive to peoples’ way of living.
Episode 136. Rethinking Economics: Microfinance and the solidarity economy
Today's episode is the first of a 3-part series featuring professors from Clark University, hosted by Nathan Greene.
Dr. Jude Fernando is an Associate Professor of Sustainability and Social Justice at Clark University. He is completing a book titled Political Economy of NGOs: Modernizing Post-modernity. Dr. Fernando earned his bachelor's in applied economics from the University of Peradeniya and his Ph.D. in Economics, Anthropology, South Asian History from the University of Pennsylvania.
Dr. Fernando discussed microfinance and its criticisms, small- versus large-scale change, and why economists should rethink the importance of the solidarity economy.
Episode 135. Bryan Kavanagh - 2024 Annual Conference - Panel 4: Policy Options
Today’s discussion comes from our most recent annual conference “Existential Crises: Is the Georgist Paradigm Part of the Solution?” and was recorded in July of 2024. This is the final panel of our conference content on the polycrisis afflicting the globe. Thus far, we have discussed the four most important crises, followed by how Georgism can alleviate these crises, which was then be followed by how to make Georgism more politically palatable, and will now conclude with different Georgist policy solutions.
Today’s panelist is part of our fourth and final panel, “The Policy Options.” Our speaker for today’s episode is Bryan Kavanagh.
Mr. Kavanagh has extensive experience as a real estate evaluator working for the Commonwealth Bank of Australia, as well as its Taxation Office. After many years in the public sector, Bryan went on to establish his own real estate evaluation firm Westlink Consulting. He is a research associate at the Land Values Research Group, a publisher of land-value-based economic research. Mr. Kavanagh is also an Executive Committee member of Prosper Australia, an international NGO committed to economic justice via land redistribution as proposed by Henry George.
Mr. Kavanagh discussed how real estate prices impact the boom-bust cycle, why economic crises repeat themselves throughout history, and why economists are not so great at making predictions.
Episode 134. Professor Roger Sandilands - 2024 Annual Conference - Panel 4: Policy Options
Today’s discussion comes from our most recent annual conference “Existential Crises: Is the Georgist Paradigm Part of the Solution?” and was recorded in July of 2024. This is the penultimate panel of our conference content on the polycrisis afflicting the globe. Thus far, we have discussed the four most important crises, followed by how Georgism can alleviate these crises, which was then be followed by how to make Georgism more politically palatable, and will now conclude by with different Georgist policy solutions.
Today’s panelist is part of our fourth and final panel, “The Policy Options.” Our speaker for today’s episode is Professor Roger Sandilands.
Professor Sandilands is the president of the Scottish League for Land Value Taxation and Professor Emeritus of Economics at the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow, Scotland. Dr. Sandilands has held numerous research and teaching positions focusing on monetary and international economics at Simon Fraser University in Canada, National University of Singapore, Lund University in Sweden, and Sophia University in Japan, as well as others. He is the author of two books: The Life and Political Economy of Lauchlin Currie and Monetary Correction and Housing Finance in Colombia, Brazil and Chile, as well as numerous journal articles. He also served as the Managing Editor of the Journal of Economic Studies. Professor Sandilands earned his bachelor's and Ph.D. from the University of Strathclyde.
Professor Sandilands discussed land redistribution, why the supply of land is considered to be fixed, and how land value taxes can spur entrepreneurship.
Episode 133. Dirk Löhr - 2024 Annual Conference - Panel 3: Recalibrating the Advocacy of Georgism
Today’s discussion comes from our most recent annual conference “Existential Crises: Is the Georgist Paradigm Part of the Solution?” and was recorded in July of 2024. For the next three weeks, our discussions will revolve around the polycrisis afflicting the globe with four subtopics. The first will be the four most important crises, followed by how Georgism can alleviate these crises, which will then be followed by how to make Georgism more politically palatable, and will conclude by discussing different Georgist policy solutions.
Today’s panelist is part of our third panel, “Recalibrating the Advocacy of Georgism.” Our speaker for this episode is Dr. Dirk Löhr.
Dr. Löhr is a professor of Taxation and Ecological Economics at the Trier University of Applied Sciences and an Associate Professor at Ruhr-University in Bochum, Germany. His career spans both academic and practical roles, including work as a tax adviser, lecturer at the Center for Urban and Real Estate Management in Switzerland, and consultant for German International Cooperation (GIZ) in Cambodia. Dr. Löhr has also held key management positions within the Deutsche Bahn AG, which is a German railroad company. He also currently serves as president of the Association of Social Sciences, a research institution that conducts studies on infrastructure. Dr. Löhr extensive academic contributions include publications on business economics, land taxation, and environmental economics.
Dr. Löhr discussed why liberals and conservatives tend to get tax policy wrong, the difference between taxes and contributions in Germany, and how land value taxes can reorient revenue to better pay for redistributive policies.
Episode 132. Ian Kirkwood - 2024 Annual Conference - Panel 3: Recalibrating the Advocacy of Georgism
Today’s discussion comes from our most recent annual conference “Existential Crises: Is the Georgist Paradigm Part of the Solution?” and was recorded in July of 2024. For the next seven weeks, our discussions will revolve around the polycrisis afflicting the globe with four subtopics. The first will be the four most important crises, followed by how Georgism can alleviate these crises, which will then be followed by how to make Georgism more politically palatable, and will conclude by discussing different Georgist policy solutions.
Today’s panelist is part of our third panel, “Recalibrating the Advocacy of Georgism,” and our speaker is Mr. Ian Kirkwood.
Mr. Kirkwood is a freelance graphic designer who has most recently focused his work on land and tax reform in Scotland. He is currently the Director of the Scottish Land Revenue Group, an organization that promotes land value tax as a solution to shrinking public services while also reducing income taxes. In 2020, Ian wrote an article titled, “After the crisis we need to create jobs, not a tax on wealth” which was published in The Times, one of England’s oldest newspapers.
Mr. Kirkwood discussed how traditional forms of taxation disincentivize productivity, how a land value tax can replace other forms of taxes, and how Georgists can improve rhetoric around land value taxes to make them more appealing.
Episode 131. Dr. Nicolaus Tideman - 2024 Annual Conference - Panel 2: Is the Georgist Paradigm Part of the Remedy?
Today’s discussion comes from our most recent annual conference “Existential Crises: Is the Georgist Paradigm Part of the Solution?” and was recorded in July of 2024. For the next eight weeks, our discussions will revolve around the polycrisis afflicting the globe with four subtopics. The first will be the four most important crises, followed by how Georgism can alleviate these crises, which will then be followed by how to make Georgism more politically palatable, and will conclude by discussing different Georgist policy solutions.
Today’s panelist is Dr. Nicolaus Tideman. Dr. Tideman is a Georgist economist whose family have been Georgists for generations. He has spent his career immersed in economics, teaching at numerous universities such as Harvard, the University of Buckingham, and Virginia Tech, where he currently teaches. Dr. Tideman reached the pinnacle of his career in the 1970s working for the president's council of economic advisers. He has held advisory positions within the Office of Management and Budget as well as the Treasury Department. He is the author of many journal publications and of two books: Collective Decisions and Voting and Land and Taxation; both examine collectivist economic models and decision-making. He received his bachelor’s degree in mathematics and economics from Reed College and his Ph.D. in economics from the University of Chicago.
Dr. Tideman discussed a land value tax, the privatization of rent, and how the end of fractional reserve banking can reduce inequality.
Episode 130. Kris Feder - 2024 Annual Conference - Panel 2: Is the Georgist Paradigm Part of the Remedy?
Today’s discussion comes from our most recent annual conference “Existential Crises: Is the Georgist Paradigm Part of the Solution?” and was recorded in July of 2024. For the next nine weeks, our discussions will revolve around the polycrisis afflicting the globe with four subtopics. The first will be the four most important crises, followed by how Georgism can alleviate these crises, which will then be followed by how to make Georgism more politically palatable, and will conclude by discussing different Georgist policy solutions.
Today’s panelist is Dr. Kris Feder. Dr. Feder is a recently retired professor at Bard College, where she taught courses on environmental, urban, and ecological economics. She has held numerous fellowships and taught at multiple universities such as West Chester University, Temple University, and Franklin and Marshall College. Dr. Feder has contributed to and coauthored three books: The Corruption of Economics, Beyond Neoclassical Economics: Heterodox Approaches to Economic Theory, and Critics of Henry George. She earned her bachelor's degree from the University of Pennsylvania and her Ph.D. from Temple University.
Dr. Feder discussed modern monetary theory, the benefits of The Green New Deal, and how a land value tax can be used to pay for its initiatives.
Episode 129. Franklin Obeng-Odoom - 2024 Annual Conference: Existential Crises: The Four Biggest Threats from the Polycrisis
Today’s discussion comes from our most recent annual conference “Existential Crises: Is the Georgist Paradigm Part of the Solution?” and was recorded in July of 2024. For the next ten weeks, our discussions will revolve around the polycrisis afflicting the globe with four subtopics. The first will be the four most important crises, followed by how Georgism can alleviate these crises, which will then be followed by how to make Georgism more politically palatable, and will conclude by discussing different Georgist policy solutions.
Today’s panelist is Dr. Franklin Obeng-Odoom, professor of Global Development Studies at the University of Helsinki in Finland.
Dr. Obeng-Odoom is a Fellow at the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences and has received numerous awards for his scholarship and teaching. He is the author of several books, including Global Migration Beyond Limits; The Commons in an Age of Uncertainty; and Property, Institutions, and Social Stratification in Africa. A productive author, Dr. Obeng-Odoom has authored dozens of journal articles and is on the American Journal of Economics and Sociology editorial board.
We were lucky enough to join Dr. Obeng-Odoom to discuss climate refugees, why environmental justice must include land tenure, and how Georgist philosophy can be broadened to better consider the environment.
Episode 128: Fred Harrison - 2024 Annual Conference: Existential Crises: The Four Biggest Threats from the Polycrisis
Today’s discussion comes from our most recent annual conference “Existential Crises: Is the Georgist Paradigm Part of the Solution?” and was recorded in July of 2024. For the next eleven weeks, our discussions will revolve around the polycrisis afflicting the globe with four subtopics. The first will be the four most important crises, followed by how Georgism can alleviate these crises, which will then be followed by how to make Georgism more politically palatable, and will conclude by discussing different Georgist policy solutions.
Our first panelist will be Mr. Fred Harrison, a long-time friend of the Henry George School, who will be discussing the four biggest threats emerging from the global polycrisis.
Mr. Harrison received his bachelor’s from Oxford University and his master’s from the University of London. He is a veteran journalist who has served in multiple news agencies such as The People and Wellington Journal. In 1988 he became the Research Director of the Land Research Trust, London, and has advised several corporations and international governments on tax and economic policy. Fred places an emphasis on the housing market and its interaction with the economy as a whole. He is the author of many books, including The Corruption of Economics, The Power in the Land, and A Philosophy for a Fair Society, all of which critique mainstream economic thinking.
Together, we discussed how the current tax system worsens inequality, why Georgist policies can reduce these inequalities, and Boston’s stark disparities in life expectancy.
Episode 127: Fred Harrison - 2024 Annual Conference: Existential Crises: Is the Georgist Paradigm Part of the Solution?
Today's discussion comes from our most recent annual conference “Existential Crises: Is the Georgist Paradigm Part of the Solution?” and was recorded in July of 2024. For the next twelve weeks, our discussions will revolve around the polycrisis afflicting the globe with four subtopics. The first will be the four most important crises, followed by how Georgism can alleviate these crises, which will then be followed by how to make Georgism more politically palatable, and will conclude by discussing different Georgist policy solutions.
Our conference content will kick off with a keynote address from our long-time friend of the Henry George School, Mr. Fred Harrison.
Mr. Harrison received his bachelor's from Oxford University and his master’s from the University of London. He is a veteran journalist who has served in multiple news agencies such as The People and Wellington Journal. In 1988 he became the Research Director of the Land Research Trust, London, and has advised several corporations and international governments on tax and economic policy. Fred places an emphasis on the housing market and its interaction with the economy as a whole. He is the author of many books, including The Corruption of Economics, The Power in the Land, and A Philosophy for a Fair Society, all of which critique mainstream economic thinking.
Together, we discussed how Henry George initiated a global reformist movement within politics and economics, how to reinvigorate the Georgist movement, and how this can reverse democratic backsliding around the world.
Episode 126: The Rise of Automation and AI – Curse or Blessing for the Working Class?
Today's discussion comes from our most recent panel discussion, The Rise of Automation and AI – Curse or Blessing for the Working Class? and was recorded in May of 2024. Our discussion was hosted by HGSSS Director of Education, Dr. Ibrahima Dramé, who was joined by Dr. Sandeep Sacheti, Dr. Ansel Schiavone, and Mr. Edward J. Dodson
Dr. Sacheti is an Executive Vice President at Wolters Kluwer.
Dr. Schiavone is an economics professor at St. John’s University.
Mr. Dodson is a faculty member Henry George School of Social Science in New York.
We discussed why AI won’t replace as many jobs as we think, how neoclassical labor models fail to hold up in the real world, and the Georgist perspective on how AI would impact labor throughout the economy.
Episode 125: The Need for Ecological Economics
Today’s discussion was recorded in April of 2024 and was part of our Sound Economics event. We were joined by our guest, Dr. Willi Semmler.
Dr. Semmler is the Arnhold Professor of International Cooperation and Development at the New School, where he researches macroeconomics, the economics of climate change, and financial markets. He is also a Fellow at Columbia University’s Center on Capitalism and Society and serves as a Trustee at the Henry George School of Social Science. Dr. Semmler has taught at the American University in Washington D.C., the University of Berlin, and the University of Bielefeld in Germany. He authored several books, including Asset Prices, Booms, and Recessions and Sustainable Macroeconomics, Climate Risks, and Energy Transitions. Dr. Semmler studied at the University of Munich and Technical University in Germany and earned his PhD from the Free University of Berlin.
We were joined by Dr. Semmler to discuss why economics should begin considering the environment in its analysis, why environmental risks pose economic risks, and how the profit motive incentivizes conservation or degradation.
Episode 124: An Introduction to Environmental Ethics and Political Ecology
Today’s discussion was recorded in April of 2024 and was part of our Sound Economics event. We were joined by our guest, Dr. Christoph Horn.
Dr. Horn is the Director of Practical Philosophy and Ancient Philosophy at the University of Bonn. He is also the Heuss Professor at the New School. Dr. Horn's work focuses on classical philosophers like Plato or Aristotle and how we deal with modern questions of ethics and morals. He has also written extensively on political philosophy and the roles ethics and justice play within politics. Dr. Horn is an alum of the New Institute, a German think tank dedicated to understanding the relationship between well-being and living standards and how this impacts the human condition.
Today, Dr. Horn joined us to explain environmental ethics, some of the different schools of thought within ecological ethics, and introduced us to the idea of political ecology.
Episode 123: Symposia - A Critique of Monetary Policy through a Georgist Lens
Today’s discussion was recorded in February of 2024, where we were joined by our guest, Dr. Marty Rowland.
Dr. Rowland served in the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation as a Senior Project Manager for Environmental Remediation to help the city improve environmental quality. He has taught at various institutions, such as Pace University and here at the Henry George School of Social Science. He is also a Senior Fellow with the Asset Leadership Network, a group that promotes financial awareness to achieve social objectives. Dr. Marty Rowland earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan and his master’s from the University of New Orleans, both in Environmental Engineering. He later went on to earn his Ph.D. in Natural Resource Economics from the University of New Orleans as well.
We were joined by Dr. Rowland to discuss Henry George’s work on monetary policy and central banking, some critiques of George’s analysis, and the difference between metal-backed currencies versus fiat currencies.
Episode 122: Symposia - Restarting Rust Belt economies
Today’s discussion was recorded in April of 2024, where we were joined by our guest, Mr. Matthew Colantonio.
Mr. Colantonio is an active community member and has focused his career on economic and community development. He was an AmeriCorps volunteer in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where he saw the importance of effective land and tax policy. Currently, he is a statistician at the State of Pennsylvania’s Department of Health. Matt received his bachelor’s degree in business from St. John’s University, my alma mater, and his master’s in applied economics from Boston College.
Mr. Colantonio joined us in discussing the history of Pennsylvania, how Henry George’s single tax can jumpstart Pittsburg’s property sector, and why speculation tends to depress economic outcomes.
Episode 121: Symposia - How to end the US fiscal impasse
Today’s discussion was recorded in April of 2024, where we were joined by our guest, Dr. W. E. Perry.
Dr. Perry received his bachelor’s degree from Columbia University in Ancient Greek Language and Literature and his Ph.D. in Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics from Trinity College in Dublin. He has conducted extensive research on the Money Supply and recent trends in Monetary Policy. He is also the Managing Director of Fiduciary Automation, a company that helps businesses check if their financial ideas meet legal requirements and identify areas of ambiguity. In addition to Fiduciary Automation, Dr. Perry is also the founder of XML Special Interest Group, a platform for professionals who use Extensible Markup Language (XML), a coding language.
Dr. Perry joined us to discuss why raising or lowering taxes is not realistic if the government should have the ability to tax citizens and how the separation of state developed over time.
Episode 120: Symposia - UBI as a tool for economic management
Today’s discussion was recorded in March of 2024, where we were joined by our guest, Derek Van Gorder.
Mr. Van Gorder is an independent scholar and cofounder of the Greshm Institute. The Greshm Institute is a non-profit organization that fosters dialogue around Universal Basic Income (UBI). Derek is also working on a series of essays on the dynamics of UBI and how it is economically viable. In addition to his work with the Greshm Institute, Mr. Van Gorder is also a filmmaker and videographer for documentaries, indie films, and music videos. He received his bachelor’s degree from Bard College at Simon’s Rock.
We were joined by Mr. Van Gorder to discuss the dynamics of UBI, how it can be used for monetary policy, and why a universal basic income is the most efficient policy tool for macroeconomic management.
Episode 119: Symposia - Is the Fed miscalculating unemployment?
Today’s discussion was recorded in March of 2024, where we were joined by our guest, Dr. W. E. Perry.
Dr. Perry received his bachelor’s degree from Columbia University in Ancient Greek Language and Literature, and his Ph.D. in Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics from Trinity College in Dublin. He has conducted extensive research on Money Supply and recent trends in Monetary Policy. He is also the Managing Director of Fiduciary Automation, a company that helps businesses check if their financial ideas meet legal requirements and identify areas of ambiguity. In addition to Fiduciary Automation, Dr. Perry is also the founder of XML Special Interest Group, a platform for professionals who use Extensible Markup Language (XML), a coding language.
We were joined by Dr. Perry to discuss his analysis on recent macroeconomic trends, how asset bubbles are formed, and why the Fed always miscalculates unemployment.
Episode 118: How the Fed lost control over Money Supply
Today’s discussion was recorded in January of 2024, where we were joined by our guest, Dr. Walter E. Perry.
Dr. Perry received his bachelor’s degree from Columbia University in Ancient Greek Language and Literature, and his Ph.D. in Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics from Trinity College in Dublin. He has conducted extensive research on Money Supply and recent trends in Monetary Policy. He is also the Managing Director of Fiduciary Automation, a company that helps businesses check if their financial ideas meet legal requirements and identify areas of ambiguity. In addition to Fiduciary Automation, Dr. Perry is also the founder of XML Special Interest Group, a platform for professionals who use Extensible Markup Language (XML), a coding language.
We were joined by Dr. Perry to discuss why the Federal Reserve’s monetary policy has been ineffective, how AI and computer science can be used to understand why monetary policy is failing, and a brief history of modern monetary history.
Episode 117: Snapshot - Diaspora Bonds as a path to development
Today’s discussion was recorded in October of 2023, where we were joined by our returning guest, Dr. Aleksandr Gevorkyan.
Dr. Gevorkyan received his bachelor’s degree in International Trade and Finance from Louisiana State University, two master's in Economics from The New School and Louisiana State University, and his Ph.D. in economics from New School. He is an expert on Central Eastern Europe and Former Soviet Union economies. He is the author of numerous journal articles, as well as two books: Transition Economies and Financial Deepening and Post-Crisis Development in Emerging Markets. He is a professor and Henry George Chair in Economics at St. John’s University, as well as a Board member here at the Henry George School.
Today we will explore Diaspora Bonds and how they can impact development. Many underdeveloped nations don’t have the financial capacity to pursue transformative projects like building hospitals or infrastructure. Diaspora Bonds help fund these projects from expatriates who want to help their home country. Dr. Gevorkyan also explores how other nations have successfully used their diaspora to spur growth.
Episode 116: Snapshot - A Georgist perspective on the American Rescue Plan
Today’s discussion was recorded in September of 2021, where we were joined by our returning guest, and long-time faculty member of the school, Ed Dodson.
Mr. Dodson attended Shippensburg University and Temple University where he received an economics degree. Ed worked for Fannie Mae, a public-private partnership to help distribute home mortgage loans. During his time at Fannie Mae, Mr. Dodson held numerous management and analyst positions within the Housing & Community Development group, helping to revitalize neighborhoods and local communities. This gives him an interesting perspective on land use and reform, and how it can reduce inequality. He also has extensive experience as a history lecturer at the Osher Life Long Learning Institute and the Learning is For Everyone program at Burlington County College. Edward has written many papers on history and the political economy and is the author of a three-volume book series titled "The Discovery of First Principles."
Today, Mr. Dodson explains the impact of the American Rescue plan and why it may not have helped the people it was most intended to. Ed helps break down a Georgist analysis of the macroenvironment pre-Covid, and how the American Rescue Plan fails to address its vulnerabilities.
Episode 115: Snapshot: Equitism and Reconfiguring Capitalism
Snapshot is a more brief format for introducing listeners to complex concepts they may not be familiar with. We take big ideas and distill them into a bite-sized format so you can get an understanding of these ideas through a particular lens. We’ll explore ideas like moneterism, historical materialism, or opportunity cost, and how they are relevant to the real world. You don’t have to be an expert on economics, we’ll explain it to you.
Mr. Rossman is a financier and investor, who specializes in developing nations and emerging markets. After the fall of the Soviet Union, Mr. Rossman helped establish investment institutions in Turkey, former Soviet Union states, and North Africa. Throughout his career, Tom has helped nations democratize and sustainably develop to bring new opportunities to these regions. He has spoken at conferences across the world from Baku to London to Houston. He received his bachelor’s degree in history and religious studies from Nyack College and earned his master’s from Tufts in international relations. Currently, he is an advisor to the Telosa Community Foundation; a group hoping to build a futuristic from-scratch city that will revolutionize urban living.
Mr. Rossman introduces us to the concept of equitism. When most social scientists discuss fairness, they usually mention equality or equity. Equitism takes these ideas a step further. Equitism is a system in which city people own or have a stake in the land. In theory, this should give them more power to determine their socioeconomic outcomes.
Together we discussed a brief history of economic thought, how equitism reconfigures capitalism, and how a more even distribution of land can improve environmental outcomes.
Episode 114: Rethinking Economics: Economics That Moved Beyond Humanity
Rethinking Economics is all about questioning the core foundations of economics. This series questions economic orthodoxy to better understand the forces and shifts shaping our society and the world. Together, we’ll interrogate things like the efficacy of economic models, if mainstream assumptions are always correct, and why the ideas and concepts you learn about in textbooks may lead you astray.
For our inaugural discussion of the series, we will be talking to our returning guest Dr. Steve Keen. Our talk was recorded in March of 2024 and is hosted by Nathan Greene, a researcher at the Henry George School.
Dr. Keen is an expert on the dynamics of monetary economics and macroeconomics. We’ll explore his critiques of the efficient market hypothesis to his more recent analyses of debt dynamics and financial instability. Together, we talked about the shortcomings of conventional economic thinking, and why it’s so damaging not just to the economy, but the planet as well. By questioning fundamental assumptions, he invites us to reconsider our approach to economic policy and reshape our vision of a more equitable and sustainable future. At a time when the world is largely ignoring calls to abandon fossil fuels and the green transition feels painstakingly slow, his ideas and critiques feel more important now than ever before.
Dr. Keen received his bachelor's degree from the University of Sydney and went on to complete his master's and Ph.D. in Economics and Economic History from the University of New South Wales. He is the author of several books on economics, of which the two most famous are "Debunking Economics" and "The New Economics: A Manifesto." Both critique conventional economic theory. We were even lucky enough to hear about his upcoming book, "Rebuilding Economics from the Top Down." Dr. Keen has taught at the University of Western Sydney and Kingston University in London. He is currently leading the development of a software package called Minsky, a dynamics-based visualization tool for macroeconomic modeling.
Episode 113: Exploring the Economic Relationship between the US and Indigenous Peoples
Today’s episode our discussion came from our most recent seminar, McGirt v Oklahoma: Unraveling the Impact on Tribal Economics and Sovereignty. Our conversation was recorded in February of 2024 and is hosted by Ed Dodson, a long-time faculty member, who is joined by our guest, Dr. Brian Hosmer.
Dr. Hosmer is the head of the History department at Oklahoma State University and previously held the H.G. Barnard Chair at the University of Tulsa. He has held numerous teaching positions at institutions such as the University of Delaware, University of Wyoming, and the University of Illinois Chicago. His research and teaching interests focus on indigenous history, environmental history, and the intersection of economics and indigenous nationhood. He is the author of several books including "American Indians and the Marketplace," "Tribal Worlds," "Native Americans and the Legacy of Harry S. Truman," and many more.
Our guest today helps us explore the current interaction between the US government and indigenous nations, how a recent Supreme Court Case impacts this interaction, and how this translates to economic outcomes.
Episode 112: The Political Economy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (2024)
Today's discussion came from our most recent seminar and was recorded in January of 2024. Our talk is hosted by Ed Dodson, a long-time faculty member here at the Henry George School.
To celebrate Black History Month, we wanted to pause our regular content and give our listeners a special series on the political economy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. This week’s talk will conclude our 3-part series exploring Dr. King’s intellectual evolution, and how it impacted his solutions to addressing poverty.
Mr. Dodson attended Shippensburg University and Temple University where he received an economics degree. Ed worked for Fannie Mae, a public-private partnership to help distribute home mortgage loans. During his time at Fannie Mae, Mr. Dodson held numerous management and analyst positions within the Housing & Community Development group, helping revitalize neighborhoods and local communities. This gives him an interesting perspective on land use and reform, and how it can reduce inequality. He also has extensive experience as a history lecturer at the Osher Life Long Learning Institute and the Learning is For Everyone program at Burlington County College. Edward has written many papers on history and the political economy and is the author of a three-volume book series titled "The Discovery of First Principles."
Episode 111: The Political Economy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (2023)
Today's discussion came from our archives and was recorded in January of 2023. Our talk is hosted by Ed Dodson, a long-time faculty member here at the Henry George School.
To celebrate Black History Month, we wanted to pause our regular content and give our listeners a special series on the political economy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. For the next two episodes, we’ll continue our 3-part series exploring Dr. King’s intellectual evolution and how it impacted his solutions to addressing poverty.
Mr. Dodson attended Shippensburg University and Temple University where he received an economics degree. Ed worked for Fannie Mae, a public-private partnership to help distribute home mortgage loans. During his time at Fannie Mae, Mr. Dodson held numerous management and analyst positions within the Housing & Community Development group, helping revitalize neighborhoods and local communities. This gives him an interesting perspective on land use and reform, and how it can reduce inequality. He also has extensive experience as a history lecturer at the Osher Life Long Learning Institute and the Learning is For Everyone program at Burlington County College. Edward has written many papers on history and the political economy and is the author of a three-volume book series titled "The Discovery of First Principles."
Episode 110: The Political Economy of Martin Luther King, Jr. (2022)
Today's discussion came from our archives and was recorded in January of 2022. Our talk is hosted by Ed Dodson, a long-time faculty member here at the Henry George School.
To celebrate Black History Month, we wanted to pause our regular content and give our listeners a special series on the political economy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.. For the next few episodes, we’ll have a 3-part series exploring Dr. King’s intellectual evolution, and how it impacted his solutions to addressing poverty.
Mr. Dodson attended Shippensburg University and Temple University where he received an economics degree. Ed worked for Fannie Mae, a public-private partnership to help distribute home mortgage loans. During his time at Fannie Mae, Mr. Dodson held numerous management and analyst positions within the Housing & Community Development group, helping revitalize neighborhoods and local communities. This gives him an interesting perspective on land use and reform, and how it can reduce inequality. He also has extensive experience as a history lecturer at the Osher Life Long Learning Institute and the Learning is For Everyone program at Burlington County College. Edward has written many papers on history and the political economy and is the author of a three-volume book series titled "The Discovery of First Principles."
Episode 109: Quantitative easing and inequality
Today's discussion was recorded in July of 2021. Our talk is hosted by Ed Dodson, a long-time faculty member here at the Henry George School, who is joined by our guest Dr. Raphaële Chappe.
Dr. Chappe is a Decentralized Finance economist and Director of R&D and Strategy at DeVol Network, a cryptocurrency platform. Dr. Chappe is also an economic advisor for The Predistribution Initiative, a non-profit that supports creating investment structures that better distributes wealth with workers and communities. Dr. Chappe is also a Research Fellow with the Open Society Foundation. Dr. Chappe earned her bachelor’s in Law and French Law from King’s College London, a master’s degree in Comparative Business Law from the University of Pantheon-Sorbonne in Paris, a master’s in law from New York University, and her doctorate in economics from The New School for Social Research. Needless to say, she has quite an extensive resume. Raphaële’s research interests include monetary policy and shadow banking.
We were lucky enough to talk to Dr. Chappe about quantitative easing, how it impacts inequality, and how recent accumulations of debt could impact the global macroeconomy.
Episode 108: How populism can improve democratic institutions
Today's discussion was recorded in December of 2023. Our talk is hosted by Ed Dodson, a long-time faculty member here at the Henry George School, who is joined by our guest Dr. Walter Horn.
Dr. Horn is a philosopher who uses his philosophical training to analyze public policy. Writing for journals such as The Journal of Philosophy and Philosophy and Phenomenological Research, Walter has published many articles on topics such as metaphysics, epistemology, or the psychology of religion. He is also the author of "Democratic Theory Naturalized," which deeply examines populism and power relations within a democracy. As a professor, Dr. Horn has taught at Brown University and Framingham State University. When he’s not busy writing about psychology or philosophy, our guest loves to write and analyze music and has several recorded albums.
To improve our system of government and create outcomes more beneficial to the public, Dr. Horn believes society needs a healthy dose of populism. Populism is a complex idea, usually harboring negative connotations from both the left and right. But to Dr. Horn, populism is a move toward radical democracy and the empowerment of people. Governments, democracies, and constitutions all change over time. But what these changes are, and who they impact, have lasting consequences on how we organize our society and decide who gets to make what decisions.
Dr. Horn earned his bachelor’s degree from Ithaca College, and his Ph.D. from Brown University, both in philosophy.
Together, we discussed Dr. Horn’s definition of populism, how democratic reform can empower citizens, and why education is so important to achieving democratic outcomes.
Episode 107: A lesson on sustainable macroeconomics
Today's discussion came from our archives and was recorded in October of 2023. Our talk is hosted by Ed Dodson, a long-time faculty member here at the Henry George School, who is joined by our guest Dr. Willi Semmler.
Dr. Semmler is the Arnhold Professor of International Cooperation and Development at the New School in New York City, where he researches macroeconomics, the economics of climate change, and financial markets. Dr. Semmler is also a Fellow at Columbia University’s Center on Capitalism and Society, an institute that examines the shortcomings of orthodox economics and looks to understand the economy through a more realistic and complex lens. Willi has also taught at other universities such as the American University in Washington D.C., the University of Berlin, and the University of Bielefeld in Germany. He is the author of numerous journal articles and has written many books such as "Asset Prices, Booms, and Recessions" and "Sustainable Macroeconomics, Climate Risks, and Energy Transitions." Dr. Semmler is a trustee and long-time member here at the Henry George School. He is an expert on all things macroeconomics, sustainability, and business cycles.
Today’s discussion delves into how economics can be used, or rethought, to improve environmental conditions. Is economic growth inseparable from environmental damage? Can the economy become less energy-intensive as it diversifies? Is it possible to improve living conditions with a growing population without causing pollution? Economists often examine incentives, and how they can lead to different outcomes. Dr. Semmler helps us break down these incentives, and how they can be recalibrated to benefit conservation efforts.
Dr. Semmler studied at the University of Munich and Technical University in Germany and earned his PhD from the Free University of Berlin.
Together we discussed why many conflate economic growth with pollution, how policy and incentives can better serve environmental needs, and how the financial sector can be rewired to encourage productive investment and reduce speculation.
Episode 106: A system dynamics approach to Georgism
Today's discussion came from our archives and was recorded in July of 2023. Our talk is hosted by Ed Dodson, a long-time faculty member here at the Henry George School, who is joined by our guest Mr. Lars Doucet.
Mr. Doucet is a consultant, blogger, entrepreneur, game developer, and currently the Director of Outreach for Common Ground USA. As a consultant, Lars has been accredited with developing numerous video games and software packages, such as Defender’s Quest and Super Energy Apocalypse. He is also the founder of Geo Land Solutions, which appraises large tracts of land to better calibrate land values and taxes more equitably. Mr. Doucet recently published his first book: "Land is a Big Deal," where he explores Georgist ideas, such as rent, natural resource extraction, and collectivism.
Mr. Doucet earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Texas A&M University in Visual Sciences.
Together, we discussed how Mr. Doucet came to his Georgist epiphany, how speculation leads to inequality and economic downturns, and how proper appraisal of land values can lead to beneficial downstream effects.
Episode 105: Getting into the weeds of housing markets
Today's discussion came from our archives and was recorded in June of 2023. Our talk is hosted by Ed Dodson, a long-time faculty member here at the Henry George School, who is joined by our returning guest Mr. Mark Mollineaux.
Mark is an artist, radio host, and researcher who focuses on metropolitan resilience, urbanization, and housing affordability. Mr. Mollineaux is a lifelong Georgist and hosts a popular radio show, "The Henry George Program," on Stanford’s radio where he hosts discussions on Georgist ideas and concepts. He is also part of Common Ground USA’s California Chapter. Common Ground USA promotes land and economic justice through land-value taxation, land trusts, and fair taxation of pollution or extraction.
Together, we got into the weeds of the dynamics of housing markets, discussed why traditional policy tools won’t help current unaffordability problems and why some alternatives may be better, and why property and land taxes can help entrench unaffordability.
Episode 104: Creating cities for transformative development
Mr. Morial is the former mayor of New Orleans, Louisiana, and current President and CEO of the National Urban League. The National Urban League is a civil rights group that promotes equality, social justice, and economic empowerment. The National Urban League spearheads social programs, public policy research, and advocacy efforts in over 300 communities across the U.S. to shrink the wealth gap in underserved communities. Through a combination of education, entrepreneurship, and job training, the National Urban League looks to create self-reliance and reinvigorate small- and medium-sized cities.
Our guest today spoke not just of the importance of cities, but how we can make them better places to develop better standards of living for everyone.
Mr. Morial earned his bachelor’s degree in African American Studies and Economics from the University of Pennsylvania and his JD from Georgetown University.
Together, we discussed how living conditions in New Orleans changed since Mr. Morial’s mayorship, how many cities across the US face similar deterioration, and how the country can produce transformative development for future generations.
Episode 103: Henry George's influence on American liberalism
Today's discussion came from our archives and was recorded in April of 2023. Our talk is hosted by Ed Dodson, who is joined by our guest, Dr. Christopher England.
Dr. England is an Adjunct Lecturer at Georgetown University, and has also taught at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Loyola University, Maryland, and Stanford University. His courses focus on US history, the history of economic thought, political media, and social movements in America. His most recent book, Henry George and the Crafting of Modern Liberalism, focuses on the influence Henry George had on American politics and public sentiment towards policy. Examining firsthand accounts of George’s correspondences with his followers, Dr. England traces the legacy of George’s influence from the Progressive Movement to the New Deal Era. With a particular focus on land, natural resources, and rent-seeking, Dr. England observes how Georgism influenced public policy during these times to create a more egalitarian and democratic society.
Dr. England received his bachelor’s degree in history and rhetoric from UC Berkeley and his Ph.D. from Georgetown in history. He’s also a former Fellow at the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy.
Dr. England joined the Henry George School to discuss land reforms during the New Deal, how George transformed liberalism in the US and around the world, and how land and land markets impact economic and social crises.
Episode 102: ESG Concerns in Ukraine's reconstruction
Today's discussion came from our archives and was recorded in November of 2023. Our talk is hosted by our Director of Education, Ibrahima Drame, who is joined our guest, Dr. Nataliia Bychkova.
Dr. Bychkova is currently a Karl Loewenstein Fellow at Amherst College, where she is also an associate professor of Political Science. She is also a visiting professor at the University of Bologna, in Italy, and Odesa Mechnykov National University, in Ukraine. Dr. Bychkova has also held positions at Odesa National Economic University and Kyiv National Economics University. She has written numerous books and journal articles on topics such as corporate governance, ESG, and economic development and transitions.
Dr. Bychkova received her bachelor’s degree and Ph.D from Odessa Mechnikov National University, both in economics.
Together, we discussed the war’s impact on educational outcomes and human capital, what post-war recovery efforts should look like, and some of the ESG concerns pre-war, and how to address them during reconstruction.
Episode 101: Congestion Pricing - Lessons from London’s Decade Long Experience
Today's discussion came from our archives and was recorded in February of 2023. Our talk is hosted by Ed Dodson, who joined our guest, Mr. Dave Wetzel.
Dave Wetzel has had a long career in transportation, working as a bus conductor and official in the 1960s. Shortly after, Mr. Wetzel became a political organizer of the London Co-operative Society between 1974 and 1981. He was elected as a Labour member for Hammersmith and Fulham on the Greater London Council in 1981 and served as the Chair of the Transport Committee. Mr. Wetzel also served on Hounslow Borough Council, acting as the leader in the late 80s and early 90s. Dave was Vice Chair of Transport for London between 2000 and 2008 and Chair of London Buses from 2000 to 2001.
Mr. Wetzel was educated at Southall Technical College, Ealing College, and at the Henry George School of Social Science.
Together, we discussed how Mr. Wetzel’s experience impacted his time as a transportation leader, the implications of Russian imperialism and their conflict with Ukraine, and got into the weeds of London’s transportation policy.
Episode 100: 100th Episode Special on Henry George
To celebrate our 100th episode, we wanted to do a special podcast on Henry George and Georgism. It was recorded in November of 2023 by Nathan Greene, a researcher at the Henry George School, and Ed Dodson, a long-time faculty member.
Ed is an expert on Henry George and all things Georgism. As a long-time subscriber of George, land value taxation, and land use reform, he is the perfect person to talk to for our centennial episode.
Mr. Dodson attended Shippensburg University and Temple University where he received an economics degree. Ed worked for Fannie Mae, a public-private partnership to help distribute home mortgage loans. During his time at Fannie Mae, Mr. Dodson held numerous management and analyst positions within the Housing & Community Development group, helping revitalize neighborhoods and local communities. This gives him an interesting perspective on land use and reform, and how it can reduce inequality. He also has extensive experience as a history lecturer at the Osher Life Long Learning Institute and the Learning is For Everyone program at Burlington County College. Edward has written many papers on history and the political economy and is the author of a three-volume book series titled The Discovery of First Principles.
Together, we discussed Henry George in the context of economic history, his ideas, and how the Georgist community can turn back into a movement.
