Discussion between Yanis Varoufakis and Noam Chomsky

[ponda]

Published on Apr 27, 2016

Yanis Varoufakis considers himself a politician by necessity, not by choice. An economist and academic by training, he became Greece’s finance minister amidst the country's financial crisis, creating an image for himself both beloved and reviled. He discusses his complicated role in his new book, And the Weak Suffer What They Must?: Europe's Crisis and America's Economic Future, and on the LIVE stage alongside renowned academic and theorist Noam Chomsky.

YANIS VAROUFAKIS is the former finance minister of Greece. A professor of economic theory at the University of Athens and former member of parliament for Athens’ largest constituency, he is the author of The Global Minotaur, among other books. He lives in Athens.

NOAM CHOMSKY is widely credited with having revolutionized the field of modern linguistics. Chomsky is the author of numerous best-selling political works, which have been translated into scores of countries worldwide. Among his most recent books are Hegemony or Survival, Failed States, Hopes and Prospects, and Masters of Mankind. Haymarket Books recently released twelve of his classic works in new editions. His latest books are What Kind of Creatures Are We? And Who Rules the World?


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=szIGZVrSAyc


mp3 link (http://www.nypl.org/node/348705/audio)

[risveglio]

I tried but I have a really hard time listening to these two. They seem so misguided and I am not sure if their rhetoric is just bad policy or done intentionally to confuse people. It's like they get it but they really don't get it and most of their 'theories' are just incorrect.

[Aurelius]

excellent !!

:bump:

[ponda]

I tried but I have a really hard time listening to these two. They seem so misguided and I am not sure if their rhetoric is just bad policy or done intentionally to confuse people. It's like they get it but they really don't get it and most of their 'theories' are just incorrect.


Sorry that you didn't like it.I found some of their insights and observations interesting. I thought that Mr Varoufakis's experiences in negotiating with the European Troika (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_troika) very interesting. He said that a member of the Troika told him that they knew that the Greek Bailout wasn't going to work but had to force Greece to take it anyway because they had invested so much 'politically' into it. It gives an idea of the type of thinking/mindsets of these people who are in positions of control etc. In effect the Greece Bailout money went from one pocket of the creditors into another pocket of the creditors and didn't help the Greek people at all. The Troika threatened to close down the Greek banks if the bailout deal was not accepted.

cheers

[Aurelius]

I tried but I have a really hard time listening to these two. They seem so misguided and I am not sure if their rhetoric is just bad policy or done intentionally to confuse people. It's like they get it but they really don't get it and most of their 'theories' are just incorrect.


Sorry that you didn't like it.I found some of their insights and observations interesting. I thought that Mr Varoufakis's experiences in negotiating with the European Troika (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_troika) very interesting. He said that a member of the Troika told him that they knew that the Greek Bailout wasn't going to work but had to force Greece to take it anyway because they had invested so much 'politically' into it. It gives an idea of the type of thinking/mindsets of these people who are in positions of control etc. In effect the Greece Bailout money went from one pocket of the creditors into another pocket of the creditors and didn't help the Greek people at all. The Troika threatened to close down the Greek banks if the bailout deal was not accepted.

cheers

also worth calling-out that Yanis discloses: the chap making ALL the major finance related decisions within the EU, is not a well known name/individual, has never even been formally elected & pretty much runs the show on this front.

I think he also discloses in this interview the EU's strategy, as he see's it: Their ultimate target within the EU is France, then Germany get top slot. .... ties in well this Joseph Farrell's research & conclusions.

[Wide-Eyed]

I tried but I have a really hard time listening to these two. They seem so misguided and I am not sure if their rhetoric is just bad policy or done intentionally to confuse people. It's like they get it but they really don't get it and most of their 'theories' are just incorrect.

Which theories Ris? The ones on the public suffering or bearing the externalities of private sector gains?

[risveglio]

I tried but I have a really hard time listening to these two. They seem so misguided and I am not sure if their rhetoric is just bad policy or done intentionally to confuse people. It's like they get it but they really don't get it and most of their 'theories' are just incorrect.

Which theories Ris? The ones on the public suffering or bearing the externalities of private sector gains?

I'd have to listen again which I would rather not do right now. I am sure that there would be a lot I agree with, which happens a lot with Chromsky; but I tend to disagree with 'we would not have anything if we didn't have government innovation and taxes'. I am sure it is a good discussion, I just think there are wiser people with better ideas.