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EQUALS: Reimagining Our Economy

EQUALS

105 episodes

We reimagine our economy one conversation at a time with activists, thinkers and politicians across the world. This podcast is co-hosted by Max Lawson, Maaza Seyoum, Annie Theriault and Nafkote Dabi. It is produced by Simon Maina, with project management by Harry Bignell and Ayesha Arif.

More about the show

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Episodes page 1 of 3

  1. Who Really Controls the News? The Hidden Power Behind the Headlines

    · 25 min · S9 E4

    In this episode of EQUALS, Crismar Lujano, reflects on how media ownership and global powers shapes which stories are told about Latin America and global south at large. She explains how the framing of economic and…

  2. “Austerity Is Not an Option!” — Isabel Ortiz on fighting back against IMF imposed spending cuts and price rises for food.

    · 32 min · S9 E3

    This week Finance Ministers from across the world will attend the IMF–World Bank meetings in Bangkok, Thailand, and Kristalina Georgieva, the IMF’s boss has called on governments to implement swingeing cuts to their…

  3. Fighting Fascism, The Rise of Far Right, and the Battle of Cable Street

    · 28 min · S9 E2

    The rise of the far right, and of fascism is all around us, all over the world. It is vitally important now more than ever to learn from history, from the rise of the far right in the 1930’s, what attracted people to…

  4. Is Neoliberalism Dead? with Branko Milanović

    · 33 min · S9 E1

    We are back! EQUALS Season 9 is officially here. And we’re starting with a massive question: Is neoliberalism dead? To answer it, we are thrilled to welcome back one of the world’s greatest economists on inequality…

  5. The Global Justice Blueprint: A Roadmap to Equality, Shared Prosperity and Climate Justice

    · 30 min · S8 E25

    Following our conversation with Olivier De Schutter on A Roadmap to End Poverty Beyond Growth, this episode concludes our two-part series exploring bold roadmaps for a just and sustainable future. Too often, climate…

  6. Beyond Growth: Can We End Poverty Without GDP?

    · 28 min · S8 E22

    For decades, governments have measured success with GDP growth. But even with years of economic expansion, poverty persists, inequality is growing and climate crisis is worsening. In this episode, we speak with…

  7. The Fight for First Nations Justice in Australia: how inequality and indigenous rights are intertwined

    · 31 min · S8 E21

    For many Indigenous communities, inequality is not simply about income or opportunity. It is about power, representation and land. In this episode, Nafkote Dabi and Max Lawson speak with Larissa Baldwin-Roberts, a…

  8. The Privatization of Education and Plunder of Common Goods

    · 31 min · S8 E20

    What happens when basic public goods become a private, paid for service, education becomes a profit-turning treadmill and meanwhile millions live in chronic insecurity? In this episode Max and Grazielle interview…

  9. Muskism: How Big Tech Is Reshaping Power, Politics, and Democracy

    · 32 min · S8 E19

    This week on EQUALS, we explore “Muskism” — the growing power of tech billionaires and what it means for democracy, inequality, and the future of society. Authors Quinn Slobodian and Ben Tarnoff argue that Elon Musk…

  10. War, Oil, and Inequality: Who Wins and Who Loses

    · 25 min · S8 E18

    In this episode, Adam Hanieh explains why crises like war, financial shocks, and pandemics don’t stay where they start. They move through the structures of the global economy. He explains how the effect of the Middle…

  11. The Inequality Emergency: The Case for an International Panel on Inequality

    · 25 min · S8 E17

    In this episode, we move beyond measuring inequality to examine how it is lived and experienced by people who are affected by it and why that distinction matters for policy. Dr. Wanga Zembe-Mkabile, social policy…

  12. The Making of the International Panel on Inequality

    · 19 min · S8 E16

    From rising billionaire wealth to dying public services, the gap between who has and who doesn’t is widening almost everywhere. Costs are climbing, and for millions, economic security is slipping further out of reach.…

  13. Is Norway Really Equal? The Truth About Wealth Inequality

    · 24 min · S8 E15

    Norway is often seen as one of the most equal countries in the world. But is it really? In this episode Trine Østereng unpacks the reality behind the reputation, and the answer is uncomfortable. While some aspects of…

  14. Capitalism vs Socialism: What’s Better for Women’s Rights?

    · 31 min · S8 E14

    Why do women’s rights advance in some societies — and decline in others? In this episode, historian and gender scholar Kristen Ghodsee explains why economic inequality is one of the most powerful drivers of gender…

  15. Beyond the Political Noise: How Migrants Are Used as Scapegoats for the Real Crisis

    · 28 min · S8 E13

    Is the immigration debate really about borders — or is it a political smokescreen? In this episode, we unpack how migrants are often turned into political scapegoats to redirect public anger away from the real causes…

  16. Who Pays When Countries Fall into Debt?

    · 30 min · S8 E12

    When countries fall into debt, who actually pays the price? In this episode, we talk to Matthew Martin, a passionate advocate for debt relief and inequality, who shares his personal journey from experiencing apartheid…

  17. Resisting the Rule of Repression

    · 28 min · S8 E11

    Most activists don’t wilfully choose a life of protest. But sometimes, we are left with no other option. In this episode we speak with three activists from Kenya, Nepal, and France who explain what drove them to the…

  18. Gary Stevenson on Wealth Inequality and Falling Living Standards

    · 32 min · S8 E10

    “What you have here is a long-term systemic transfer of wealth away from middle classes, away from rich governments and towards a small super rich elite.”- Gary Stevenson” To coincide speak with the release of Oxfam’s…

  19. The Great Global Wealth Transfer — Thomas Piketty on Inequality

    · 27 min · S8 E9

    Did you know that governments in Europe are able to spend 40 times more per child on education than governments in Sub-Saharan Africa? In this episode, world renowned economist Thomas Piketty breaks down the World…

  20. Health Apartheid | Private Profit vs Public Health — How South Africa Is Fighting Back

    · 32 min · S8 E8

    What happens when healthcare becomes a financial asset? In this episode, Anna Marriott and Dr. Aquina Thulare break down the dangers of health privatization and financialization. They explain how private equity and…

  21. From Typhoon Haiyan to COP30: Marinel Ubaldo on Climate Justice and What COP30 Must Deliver

    · 30 min · S8 E7

    When Super Typhoon Haiyan tore through the Philippines, 16-year-old Marinel Ubaldo watched her world wash away and learned a truth million on the frontlines already know: climate change is not a distant threat, but a…

  22. A Hopeful Tipping Point: The Legal Win That Could Stop New Fossil Fuels

    · 31 min · S8 E6

    When an oil site was approved near her home, Sarah Finch didn’t just protest, she took her fight to the UK Supreme Court. And won. In this powerful episode, Sarah joins Nafkote Dabi and Max Lawson to share the story…

  23. Do We Need Billionaires? Can Private Money Serve the Public Good?

    · 25 min · S8 E5

    Can finance be part of the solution to inequality? Following philosopher Dr. Ingrid Robeyns’ call to ask “How much wealth is too much?”, we meet someone trying to change the system from within. João Paulo Pacífico…

  24. The War on Women: Gaza, Genocide, and the Fight for Peace

    · 32 min · S8 E4

    Around the world, peace talks too often exclude the very people holding communities together. In this powerful episode, Max and Grazielle sit down with Dr. Sanam Naraghi-Anderlini, and Dr. Sarah Ihmoud, to unpack what…

  25. How Much Wealth Is Too Much? Ingrid Robeyns on the Case for Limitarianism

    · 31 min · S8 E3

    Can a society survive when a few own everything? Philosopher Ingrid Robeyns joins EQUALS to make the case for limitarianism, the radical yet common sense idea that there should be a limit to how much wealth one person…

  26. A Force for Good: Trade Unions Fighting for Dignity and Democracy.

    · 30 min · S8 E2

    From the trenches of war in Ukraine, to strikes against austerity in the UK, and the struggle for migrant workers’ rights in South Korea, trade unions are demonstrating extraordinary resilience. In this EQUALS…

  27. Workers vs. the Billionaire Coup – Conversation with Luc Triangle

    · 30 min · S8 E1

    EQUALS is back with a brand-new season! We open our 8th season with Luc Triangle, General Secretary of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), to explore the fight against inequality, the erosion of…

  28. Money, Power, and Inequality: Season 7 Wrap-Up

    · 20 min · S7 E13

    In this special wrap-up episode, hosts Grazielle and Max reflect on their favorite and most powerful conversations from the season. From the transformative discussion with Kate Pickett and Richard Wilkinson on power of…

  29. From Competition to Concentration: How monopoly power shapes inequality.

    · 27 min · S7 E12

    In this eye-opening episode, we sit down with investigative journalist and author Nick Shaxson to unpack one of the hidden forces behind rising inequality: monopoly power. From food to healthcare to tech and finance,…

  30. CENTRAL BANKS AND INEQUALITY: How inflation, interest rate and other monetary policies impact inequality

    · 27 min · S7 E11

    How do central bank policies like hiking interest rates affect inequality? Annie and Grazielle sit down with Jordi, an economist at Positive Money, to unravel the complexities of monetary policy. Jordi explains how…

  31. AI AND INEQUALITY: Will AI exacerbate inequality or help improve it?

    · 30 min · S7 E10

    Do you think Artificial Intelligence (AI) will exacerbate inequality or will it help in tackling it? In this episode Nafkote and Grazielle hosts Nobel Prize winner and MIT professor Simon Johnson as they dive deep…

  32. SHADOWS OF THE PAST: Germany's Wealthiest Families’ ties with the Nazi regime

    · 22 min · S7 E9

    Did you know that some of Germany's wealthiest families, who control major brands like BMW and Volkswagen, had deep ties to the Nazi regime? In this eye-opening episode, journalist David de Jong reveals how these…

  33. VULTURE CAPITALISM UNVEILED: Grace Blakeley on the Oligarchs' Grip on Our Economy

    · 24 min · S7 E8

    In this episode, Max and Nafkote interview Grace Blakeley, an economist and author, about the rise of oligarchy and the relationship between billionaires, corporations, and the state. Grace discusses the close…

  34. BILLIONAIRE COLONIALISM: Jason Hickel on how colonialism never ended and drives today’s extreme inequality.

    · 29 min · S7 E7

    To coincide with the launch of Oxfam’s Davos 2025 report, Takers, not Makers, Naf and Max interview acclaimed author, academic and activist Jason Hickel. Find out how our world is still organised primarily to benefit…

  35. FLOWERS OR BARS ON THE WINDOWS?: How more Equal Societies are the key to everything that is good, with Kate Pickett and Richard Wilkinson

    · 30 min · S7 E6

    Grazielle and Max interview the epidemiologists Kate Pickett and Richard Wilkinson, whose groundbreaking work has shown how more equal societies are much safer, happier, healthier, more democratic and greener places to…

  36. CAN SOUTH AFRICA TURN THE TIDE ON INEQUALITY?

    · 31 min · S7 E5

    As South Africa prepares to take on the G20 presidency next year, we were inspired to explore how it might seize this opportunity to tackle inequality. In our latest episode, we speak with lawyer and activist Isobel…

  37. CLIMATE FINANCE: Stop bombing and start saving our planet!

    · 30 min · S7 E4

    As we head to COP29 with climate finance taking centre stage, join Max and Nafkote for an insightful discussion. This episode features Meena Raman, a veteran activist and Head of Programs at Third World Network.…

  38. KENYA UPRISING: the power of the people

    · 22 min · S7 E3

    In the summer of 2024, Kenya ignited with protests against the controversial Finance Bill 2024. This legislation threatened to impose heavy taxes on essential goods, sparking widespread outrage. In this episode,…

  39. ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW TO FIGHT INEQUALITY- with Jayati Ghosh a world leading thinker and activist economist on debt, tax, colonialism, care and so much more.

    · 30 min · S7 E2

    Jayati Ghosh is an incredible activist, campaigner, academic and thinker. She is leading the fight on so many issues key to the fight against inequality. In this fascinating interview hear her sharp analysis of issues…

  40. MEET OXFAM’S NEW BOSS

    · 27 min · S7 E1

    As we launch our new season focusing on fighting inequality, Max and Grazielle host Oxfam’s new Executive Director, Amitabh Behar. From growing up in Bhopal, India, a city infamous for the chemical leak by a US…

  41. How are Big Pharma like hedge funds? – With Nick Dearden

    · 30 min · S6 E11

    As the World Health Organization (WHO) continue to negotiate the Pandemic Accord, Max and Grazielle interviews Nick Dearden on Pharma patents, monopolies and greed that makes them price medical tools out of reach by…

  42. Decolonizing to decarbonize - with Fadhel Kaboub.

    · 30 min · S6 E10

    Imagine someone owing you money, but instead of paying you, they offer you a loan with conditions on how to use it. That is the how climate financing looks like according to Fadhel Kaboub. Fadhel, hosted by Max and…

  43. Corporate Run Cities (really) - and the fightback! - with Ana Arendar from Progressive International

    · 29 min · S6 E9

    Imagine a private company creating its own jurisdiction in a sovereign country. It sets up its own laws, currency, and tax, labour and environmental regulations regardless of their compatibility with national laws. And…

  44. How water is ‘flowing up’ to the rich

    · 32 min · S6 E8

    In this episode of EQUALS, we talk about how wealth and power defy gravity by making water flow… upwards! Max and Nafkote interview Sushmita Mandal about water inequality and how climate breakdown is already affecting…

  45. Is it Possible to be a Neoliberal Feminist?

    · 31 min · S6 E7

    On International Women’s Day, Max and Nafkote interviewed Bhumika Muchhala, a development and feminist economist, on the possibility of being a feminist in an economic system that thrives on the exploitation of people…

  46. SOCIAL MOBILITY- is the capitalist dream just a myth?

    · 23 min · S6 E6

    Nafkote and Max interview Dr. Faiza Shaheen on how capitalism has failed on its main selling point – work hard and you will succeed. The idea that everyone has equal opportunity in life is just a myth. Your success in…

  47. AUSTERITY: A WEAPON TO DISCIPLINE THE PUBLIC? - with Dr. Clara Mattei

    · 31 min · S6 E5

    Max and Nafkote interview the brilliant Dr. Clara Mattei on the history of austerity and how it was created to maintain “the capital order”. Austerity today the world over remains a favored tool of policymakers. And…

  48. "TO LIVE AS AFRICAN" - with Dr Ndongo Samba Sylla, on economic liberation

    · 33 min · S6 E4

    Nafkote and Nabil welcome the pioneering Senegalese development economist Ndongo Samba Sylla onto EQUALS. We talk about the untold vision of former Burkina Faso President Thomas Sankara for economic liberation. The…

  49. ECONOMICS FOR THE 99% - with Professor Ha-Joon Chang

    · 29 min · S6 E3

    Max and Nafkote interview the world-famous economist Professor Ha Joon Chang to ask what is causing the inequality crisis and what governments can do to stop it. How are traffic lights, neoliberalism, and the Catholic…

  50. THE WALL STREET CONSENSUS - with Dr. Daniela Gabor

    · 30 min · S6 E2

    EQUALS is back. Max and Nabil speak to Dr. Daniela Gabor, who says we’ve entered a new era of the “Wall Street Consensus”. Her macro analysis is lighting up debates around the world about how much power we’re giving up…

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