Boom Bust Season 1 Episode 40 Hudson and Lira On the "Iron-Fisted Kleptocratic Financial Oligarchy"
- TV-PG
- January 15, 2014
Boom Bust is a news program on the financial sector that aims to unpack the trends and topics impacting markets worldwide. In season 1 episode 40, titled "Hudson and Lira On the 'Iron-Fisted Kleptocratic Financial Oligarchy'," the hosts delve into the powers that lay underneath the global finance sector. The discussion centers around the corrupt strata that control the markets and manipulate the system to enhance their personal gains.
The episode features renowned economist Michael Hudson and Binoy Kampmark, a scholar on international relations. They explore several issues, including the influence of global financial powers and their impact on lower-income countries. The show poses questions about how finance can enable or impede social justice, and to what extent citizens can hold financial powers accountable.
Throughout the episode, the hosts assert that an "iron-fisted kleptocratic financial oligarchy" exists, predominantly in the West, and seeks to profit from financial repression. The episode unveils the numerous financial operations that this oligarchy agents use to control the global economy, including currency swaps, monetary intervention, and central bank policies that prioritize the wealthy elite.
The discussion goes on to tackle the significant impacts this oligarchy has on emerging economies. They provide examples such as Ukraine and Venezuela, and how the financial elites in those countries corrupted state institutions to achieve their objectives. The guests argue that the status quo’s globalization-based focus on neoliberalism often harms developing nations rather than benefit their economies.
Later in the episode, the significance of the public's perception of the oligarchy is discussed. The guests note that a vital aspect of avoiding a global financial crisis is education on the workings of monetary systems. They emphasize that average citizens should understand the systems they are subjected to in the finance world. The show informs viewers of the methods these oligarchies use to control the finance system, such as propagating a mindset of fear that centers on economic stability as the only motive tailored towards the public.
The program seeks to educate viewers on the power of global financial elites and highlights the threats they pose to the public. The episode emphasizes the importance of a better-informed citizenry, who can work towards holding these oligarchs accountable.
Overall, Boom Bust's season 1 episode 40 "Hudson and Lira On the 'Iron-Fisted Kleptocratic Financial Oligarchy'" is an informative episode that provides an overview of the finance system's workings. The show aims to create awareness of the enormous power held by a small number of individuals and corporations that control global and national financial flows. It is an essential watch for anyone interested in financial economics, politics, or social justice.