Breaking the Set Season 2 Episode 26 War Machine Churns Despite Shutdown, Participator Economics: Alternative to Capitalism?

Breaking the Set season 2 episode 26 titled "War Machine Churns Despite Shutdown, Participator Economics: Alternative to Capitalism?" delves into two very different but important topics. The first part of the episode focuses on the United States government shutdown in October 2013, and how despite the shutdown, the country's war machine kept going strong. Host Abby Martin takes the viewers through the absurdity of the situation where government employees such as park rangers were furloughed, but military expenditure continued to increase. She also discusses the impact of the shutdown on the workers and their families who were directly affected by it. Through interviews with experts, Abby highlights the priorities of the government and questions the legitimacy of war spending at a time when the country's economy was facing a severe crisis.

The second part of the episode is devoted to examining the concept of participatory economics as an alternative to capitalism. Abby talks to Michael Albert, a co-founder of Z Magazine and a prominent advocate of participatory economics, who explains this economic system in detail. Participatory economics, or parecon, is based on the idea that individuals should have a say in how the economy works and that all people should be treated equally. There would be no bosses or owners, only workers who collectively make decisions about production and distribution. Michael believes this would create a more egalitarian society based on cooperation and solidarity over competition.

Abby also talks to other activists who are working to promote participatory economics as an alternative to the capitalist system, which they believe is inherently flawed and unsustainable. They discuss how capitalism rewards individual greed and encourages economic inequality, while parecon aims to create a more equitable society that fosters creativity and innovation. The episode also looks at how parecon would work at a national level and how challenging it would be to transition from capitalism to this new economic model.

Overall, Breaking the Set season 2 episode 26 is an intriguing and thought-provoking exploration of two significant issues, one of which is the current state of the US economy and the second, a lesser-known alternative economic system. Through interviews with experts and activists, Abby Martin provides a nuanced and critical analysis of the problems with the current economic model and explores possible solutions that could lead to a fairer and more sustainable society.