Episode

12/1 The Ideas Behind “Participatory Economics” w/ Michael Albert

December 1, 2021

Sam and Emma host economist Michael Albert to discuss his recent book No Bosses: A New Economy For A Better World, on his theory of a third option of an allocation system, beyond free-markets and central planning, based around values of self-management, solidarity, diversity, equity, and a deconstruction of the division of labor. They begin by walking through what Albert means by “participatory economy,” and why the values he sets forwards are central to its functioning, before he, Emma, and Sam dive into why the demarkation of socioeconomic classes is so central to his program, looking at the alienating qualities of the concentration of power and decision-making in the professional-managerial class (what he calls the coordinator class). To emphasize this element, Michael Albert dives into experiences he had in Argentina in the wake of their 2001 financial crisis, working with democratized workplaces that found that, by maintaining the divisions of labor, alienation continued to find itself ingrained in unbalanced and task-based positions. Next, they dive into the role public schooling and higher education have in sorting and setting up the divide between the coordinator and task-compliant classes, before they move into the abolition of private property, but rather than putting it into the hands of the “state,” reserving it as a sort of “productive commons” where it is allocated based on responsible and socially valuable uses. Lastly, they dive into the allocation system that Albert envisions, as an evolving dialogue between workers and consumers that is aware of the necessity of pricing goods responsibly and clearly, and one that, unlike central planning or free-market systems, maintains dignity, empowers workers, promotes self-management, and maintains diversity and equity. Emma and Sam also dive into the disturbing instances of the Right’s Islamophobic abuses of Ilhan Omar, alongside the bipartisan establishment’s passive endorsement of this by refusing to hold GOP officials accountable.

And in the Fun Half: Sam, Emma, and the MR crew unpack Michael Albert’s new economic system, Matteo from Slovenia gives Sam space to wax about tax as they discuss the differences between income and VAT taxation, and Dick Durbin ponders the state of one Joe Manchin. Tucker finally finds a soft spot in his heart for brothers who defend sexual predators, before he is awe-inspired by Jason Whitlock’s 40-second dash to replacement theory. Dr. Oz announces his candidacy in Pennsylvania, Jack from Albany calls in regarding the upcoming 2022 NY Primaries and Hochul’s role as a wolf in sheep’s clothing. Nancy Mace and Marjorie Taylor Greene give Kevin McCarthy trouble Democratic voters only wish their leadership would be able to achieve, plus, your calls and IMs!

Purchase tickets for the live show in Boston on January 16th HERE!

Become a member at JoinTheMajorityReport.com

Subscribe to the AMQuickie newsletter here.

Join the Majority Report Discord!
http://majoritydiscord.com/

Get all your MR merch at our store https://shop.majorityreportradio.com/

(Merch issues and concerns can be addressed here: majorityreportstore@mirrorimage.com)

You can now watch the livestream on Twitch

Check out today’s sponsors:

sunsetlakecbd: Sunset Lake CBD & Majority Report are teaming up to turn America’s most consumerist holiday into a fundraising opportunity for a great organization. Here’s how it works: Visit SunsetLakeCBD.com starting November 22nd and all CBD Products will be between 30-60% OFF! Orders over $100 will receive a free jar of delicious CBD gummies – A $40 value, for free! NO PROMO CODE NEEDED PRODUCTS ARE ALREADY DISCOUNTED ON THE WEBSITE.

Magic Spoon is a new cereal company that’s discovered a way to recreate your favorite childhood cereals with 0 sugar, 12 grams of protein, and only 3 net grams of carbs in each serving. Go to to magicspoon.com/MAJORITYREPORT for your custom bundle of cereal and try it today! Be sure to use our promo code MAJORITYREPORT at checkout to save five dollars off your order.

Shopify: Scaling your business is a journey of endless possibility. Shopify is here to help, with tools and resources that make it easy for any business to succeed from down the street to around the globe. Shopify powers over 1.7 million businesses – from first-sale to full-scale. Shopify gives entrepreneurs the resources once reserved for big business – so upstarts, start-ups, and established businesses alike can sell everywhere, synchronize online and in-person sales, and effortlessly stay informed. Go to shopify.com/majority, for a FREE fourteen-day trial and get full access to Shopify’s entire suite of features!

Joybird: Your home should show off what makes you, well you. Joybird offers modern, customizable furniture for every space, available in a variety of vibrant, durable fabric options. AND JOYBIRD’s FALL SALE IS HERE! Choose from over 18,000 customization options, or browse curated collections to find the perfect piece for your style. With Joybird’s Protection Plan, your upholstery and leather pieces will always look as good as new. Joybird is committed to creating quality furniture and a more sustainable future. Visit joybird.com/MAJORITY and get 35% off your purchase. That’s 35% off at joybird.com/MAJORITY.

Support the St. Vincent Nurses today as they continue to strike for a fair contract! https://action.massnurses.org/we-stand-with-st-vincents-nurses/

Subscribe to Discourse Blog, a newsletter and website for progressive essays and related fun partly run by AM Quickie writer Jack Crosbie. https://discourseblog.com/

Subscribe to AM Quickie writer Corey Pein’s podcast News from Nowhere, at https://www.patreon.com/newsfromnowhere

Check out Matt’s show, Left Reckoning, on Youtube, and subscribe on Patreon!

Subscribe to Matt’s other show Literary Hangover on Patreon!

Check out The Letterhack’s upcoming Kickstarter project for his new graphic novel! https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/milagrocomic/milagro-heroe-de-las-calles

Check out Matt Binder’s YouTube channel!

Subscribe to Brandon’s show The Discourse on Patreon!

Check out The Nomiki Show live at 3 pm ET on YouTube at patreon.com/thenomikishow

Check out Jamie’s podcast, The Antifada, at patreon.com/theantifada, on iTunes, or at twitch.tv/theantifada (streaming every Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday at 7pm ET!)

Follow the Majority Report crew on Twitter:

@SamSeder

@EmmaVigeland

@MattBinder

@MattLech

@BF1nn

@BradKAlsop

Past Episodes

It's ESVN OT! Emma and Bradley give their picks of the week for Week 12 of NFL action! Follow Emma and Bradley on Twitter: @EmmaVigeland @BradKAlsop Check out Ava Raiza's music here! https://avaraiza.bandcamp.com/ EMMA AND BRADLEY'S PICKS OF THE WEEK!: Emma (15-16-2): Broncos ...
It's an EmMajority Report Thursday! Emma speaks with Mike Prysner of the Empire Files to discuss Tulsi Gabbard's nomination to be U.S. Director of National Intelligence. Then, she speaks with journalist Erin Reed, author of the Erin In The Morning newsletter on SubStack, to discuss Rep. Nancy ...
It’s Hump Day! Sam speaks with Matt Duss, executive vice president at the Center for International Policy, to discuss what may to be come in terms of foreign policy in Trump's 2nd term. Then, he speaks with Gregg Gonsalves, associate professor of epidemiology at Yale University, to discuss his ...