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Every book Richard Wolff recommended on podcasts
Richard Wolff appears on the Lex Fridman Podcast as an expert on Marxism, communism, and economic history, bringing a deep academic background to his discussions. Throughout the episode, Wolff references foundational texts that have shaped economic theory and political thought over the centuries. He discusses Karl Marx's monumental three-volume work, Capital, noting that despite its thorough examination of the capitalist system, it contains almost nothing about the state itself, reflecting the early focus of Marxist analysis. Expanding on the historical trajectory of Marxist and socialist leadership, Wolff also examines Vladimir Lenin's massive historical study, The Economic History of Russia, highlighting its detailed exploration of centuries of Russian history and the subsequent development of a strong central state. In addition to radical economic literature, Wolff reflects on his formal education in the field, discussing the canonical mainstream economics textbook authored by Paul Samuelson at MIT. By analyzing these significant works, Wolff provides listeners with a comprehensive overview of how economic theories have been constructed, taught, and debated across generations, grounding his commentary in rigorous academic scholarship and historical context.
Books recommended by Richard Wolff
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Das Kapital
Das Kapital by Karl Marx is a monumental three-volume economic and social analysis of capitalism, the commodification of labor, and the alienating effects of industrial modernization.
Discussed“If you read Marx's Capital, the great work of his maturity—three volumes—there's almost nothing in there about the state.”
Where to get it
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Economics, an introductory analysis
Economics, an introductory analysis by Paul Anthony Samuelson and William D.
Discussed“Yeah, he came up only as an object of dismissal; for example, the major textbook in economics that I was taught with and that was for many years the canonical book, it isn't quite anymore, was a book authored by a professor of economics at MIT named Paul Samuelson, and people kind of—you know, a whole generation or two were”
Where to get it
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Manifest der Kommunistischen Partei
Manifest der Kommunistischen Partei by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels is the foundational political pamphlet outlining the core principles of Marxism, class struggle, and the critique of capitalism.
Discussed“One of Lenin's great works is titled 'The Economic History of Russia,' where he examines centuries of history. It's a massive book, about three or four inches thick, and I am one of the few people who have read it.”
Where to get it
Books Richard Wolff wrote
Appearances
| Episode | Podcast | Date | Books |
|---|---|---|---|
| #295 – Richard Wolff: Marxism and Communism | Lex Fridman Podcast | 2022-06-17 | 3 |
Other mentions (2: passing, ad reads, own books)
“By the way, the textbook I wrote in economics, in case you’re ever interested, was also published by MIT Press, and the title is 'Contending Economic Theories: Neoclassical, Keynesian, and Marxian.'”
“by the way the textbook I wrote in economics in case you're ever interested was also published by the MIT press and the title of contending economic theories neoclassical Keynesian and marxian”