Richard Wolff

Richard Wolff is a renowned American economist and social theorist, known for his work on Marxian economics, post-scarcity economics, and critique of capitalism. He has been a prominent figure in the fields of economics and social theory, influencing thinkers such as Noam Chomsky, Cornel West, and Naomi Klein. Wolff's work has been associated with the New School for Social Research, University of Massachusetts Amherst, and the Brecht Forum. His ideas have been shaped by the works of Karl Marx, Friedrich Engels, and Antonio Gramsci.

● Early Life and Education

Wolff was born in Youngstown, Ohio, and grew up in a family influenced by the American labor movement and the Civil Rights Movement. He attended Harvard University, where he studied economics under the guidance of John Kenneth Galbraith and Samuelson, Paul. Wolff later earned his Ph.D. in economics from Yale University, where he was influenced by the works of Joseph Schumpeter and James Tobin. His early academic career was shaped by his experiences at City College of New York, University of Paris, and the Sorbonne.

● Career

Wolff's academic career has spanned over four decades, with appointments at University of Massachusetts Amherst, New School for Social Research, and City University of New York. He has been a visiting scholar at University of California, Berkeley, Stanford University, and the London School of Economics. Wolff has also been involved with various organizations, including the American Economic Association, Economic Policy Institute, and the Democracy at Work institute, which he co-founded with Gar Alperovitz. His work has been recognized by the National Science Foundation, Ford Foundation, and the Rockefeller Foundation.

● Economic Theory and Criticism

Wolff's economic theory is rooted in Marxian economics and critique of capitalism, with a focus on the exploitation of labor and the alienation of workers. He has been critical of neoclassical economics and the Washington Consensus, advocating for a more egalitarian and democratic economic system. Wolff's ideas have been influenced by the works of Rosa Luxemburg, Georg Lukacs, and Herbert Marcuse. He has also engaged with the ideas of Milton Friedman, Friedrich Hayek, and the Austrian School of economics.

● Media and Public Appearances

Wolff has been a frequent guest on Democracy Now!, The Real News Network, and Al Jazeera English. He has also appeared on CNN, MSNBC, and NPR, discussing topics such as the Great Recession, income inequality, and the Occupy Wall Street movement. Wolff has written for various publications, including The Nation, The Guardian, and Truthout. He has been a speaker at events such as the World Social Forum, Left Forum, and the Socialism Conference.

● Selected Works

Wolff's notable works include Democracy at Work: A Cure for Capitalism, Occupy the Economy: Challenging Capitalism, and Capitalism Hits the Fan: The Global Economic Meltdown and What to Do About It. He has also written Contending Economic Theories: Neoclassical, Keynesian, and Marxian, which provides an overview of the major economic theories. Wolff's work has been translated into multiple languages, including Spanish, French, and German. His ideas have been influential in shaping the progressive movement and the socialist movement in the United States and beyond, with thinkers such as Bernie Sanders, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and Jeremy Corbyn drawing on his work. Category:Economists