Richard Murphy and occasional friends talking about everything you need to know to understand the economy, tax, finance and how we fund our future.
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Richardmurphy7 Podcasts
The Financial Times asked whether the global economy can survive another shock. I think it’s the question of our time. Debt, war and climate change are pushing us to breaking point and yet our governments still pretend that markets will save us. In this video, I explain why that’s a dangerous illusion, how neoliberal policy has made us fragile, and…
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Right-wing commentators claim inequality in Britain is falling. It isn’t. The Office for National Statistics says the Gini coefficient has improved — but the truth is that it ignores capital gains, wealth accumulation, debt, and inflation that hits the poor hardest. In this video, I expose the real story behind Britain’s growing inequality and why …
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The Cowardly State vs The Courageous State
11:54
11:54
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11:54In 2011 I wrote The Courageous State — a call for governments that act with purpose and confidence, not cowardice. Fourteen years later, we still live with austerity, outsourcing and fear. I argue it’s time to reclaim the language of democracy — to speak of courage, care, and common purpose. The words we choose decide the world we live in. Watch no…
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What if the UK government admitted it already uses modern monetary theory? Would markets panic — or would we finally have the power to rebuild Britain? In this video, I explain: Why MMT isn’t a policy, but a fact. How the “market panic” MMT would supposedly create is a myth. How the UK could use MMT to invest, create jobs, and tackle inequality. Th…
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By Richard Murphy
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By Richard Murphy
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By Richard Murphy
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The Economist claims Britain is trapped in a “debt doom loop.” But they’re wrong. The UK does not face a government debt crisis. What we really face is chronic underinvestment, inequality, and an elite media pushing austerity to protect the wealthy. In this video, I explain why The Economist’s story is false, what they deliberately ignore, and what…
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John Kenneth Galbraith’s The Affluent Society asked a question that still matters: how can we live with private luxury alongside public squalor? In this video, I explore why Galbraith was right about how markets manufacture wants, and why public goods are neglected. From billionaire rockets to broken hospitals, his warning is as urgent today as it …
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Fascism is not just about Mussolini or Hitler. It is an ideology that divides humanity into “superior” and “inferior” groups — with catastrophic consequences. In this video, I explain what fascism really means, why its essence is exclusion, and why true democracy depends on equality and respect for all.…
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Chris Hedges has warned us: fascists mean what they say. Donald Trump has now issued NSPM-7, a presidential order that redefines dissent as terrorism and authorises the state to treat opponents as enemies. From Stalin’s Article 58 to the Nazi Malicious Practices Act, history shows what happens when repression becomes law. We need to face facts: the…
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Are all our major political parties now the same? Labour, Conservatives, the Lib Dems, and even Reform are united by one ideology: neoliberalism. Fiscal rules, austerity, and the “household analogy” bind them together into what I call the Single Transferable Party. This is why public services are always cut, inequality deepens, and investment is su…
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Prof Andrew Baker of the University of Sheffield and I have been working on tax transparency and how to create it as the foundation for a better society for a long time. In this video, we share our visions and plans.By Richard Murphy
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Our economy isn’t working. It’s built on lies: the myth of growth, the myth that profit comes before people, and the myth that wealth is more important than fairness. If we want a sustainable society, we need a new moral code for the economy. In this video, I set out ten commandments for a just economy - principles that put people before profit, ju…
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Keir Starmer has reopened the debate on national identity cards. Supporters say they could make public services, voting, and security simpler. Critics warn of surveillance, discrimination, and exclusion. Are ID cards about freedom—or about state control? I unpack the history, the arguments, and what it means for our rights today.…
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Free speech is the foundation of democracy. Without the right to disagree, there is no freedom at all. Yet in the USA, Trump threatens dissenters, comedians are suspended, and protesters are labelled extremists. In the UK, Palestine Action supporters face trial for holding placards. This is the authoritarian playbook. And we must resist it.…
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Andy Burnham vs the bond markets: who really runs Britain?
17:25
17:25
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17:25Andy Burnham says it’s time for the UK to stop being in hock to the bond markets. The City is in uproar, but who really calls the shots in Britain—the government we elect, or unelected financiers? In this video, I unpack Burnham’s challenge, the myths about debt and borrowing, and why democracy—not markets—must decide our future.…
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We’re told that government debt is spiralling out of control. Commentators scream “fiscal crisis!” and “record borrowing!” But the truth is very different. High government debt is not a sign of collapse—it’s a sign of trust. People and institutions are desperate for the safety that only the government can provide. Debt is not a danger—it’s a deposi…
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Financial markets are at record highs. Politicians, economists, and financiers tell us everything is fine. But it isn’t. In this video, I explain eight major risks to markets that are being ignored: Banking collapse Deregulation Authoritarianism Artificial intelligence Climate change Demographic change Geopolitical fragmentation Rising inequality T…
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Loanable funds? The money multiplier? Steve Keen and Richard Murphy dismantle the myths. Double-entry accounting shows what really happens when banks create money and governments run deficits. If economics taught reality instead of dogma, austerity would be unthinkable.By Richard Murphy
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The UK suffers from a finance curse. Far from being our economic jewel, the City of London has drained trillions from the economy. That’s lost jobs, lost investment, and a weaker democracy. In this video, I explain why finance is making Britain poorer — and what must change.By Richard Murphy
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Something called country-by-country reporting, which I created, changed the tax world forever. It forced multinationals to reveal how much profit they were shifting into tax havens. In this video, I tell the story of how I created this idea, how it became law in more than 70 countries, and how it is still reshaping global tax justice today.…
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A massive banking collapse is coming — and the cause isn’t speculation this time. It’s climate change. Uninsurable homes mean worthless mortgages, and worthless mortgages mean broken banks. Unless governments act now with public banking and sustainable cost accounting, society itself is at risk.By Richard Murphy
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Every action has a reaction. That’s true in life – and in economics. Every pound the government spends becomes someone’s income, which creates tax, confidence and prosperity. Yet politicians and journalists still talk about spending as if it’s waste. In this video, I explain why that’s wrong – and why we need to ask the right question: what possibi…
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Welcome to a new series on this channel: the history of economic thought. I’m Richard Murphy, political economist and professor. In this series, I’ll explore how economics has always been shaped by hope and fear, and how different schools of thought—from the classical economists like Adam Smith, Ricardo, and Marx, through to Keynes, Hayek, Friedman…
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Politicians and economists pretend forecasts are facts. But they’re not. They’re guesses – and running the economy on guesses guarantees failure. In this video, I explain why fiscal rules based on forecasts are absurd, why Rachel Reeves is already using them to justify austerity, and why we must plan on the basis of present needs, not imagined futu…
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Capitalism is not driven by rational homo economicus, but by power, greed and vested interests. Neoclassical economists' tidy models still shape policy, but other insights into conspicuous consumption, monopoly and political capture better explain today’s world—and remind us economics must face reality, not fantasy, if it is to serve society.…
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Donald Trump arrives in the UK today on a state visit – and Keir Starmer has exposed his complete lack of political judgment. Why did Starmer invite Trump? Why is Trump unfit for such treatment? And what does this say about the state of democracy in both the UK and USA? In this video I argue that: Trump promotes genocide, economic warfare and racis…
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CEO pay in the UK is spiralling out of control. The median FTSE 100 boss now takes home £4.5 million a year – while millions struggle to live on the minimum wage. If we can set a minimum wage, why not a maximum pay cap? In this video, I explore why inflated executive pay is unjustified, how it fuels inequality, and how a cap – at around £370,000 – …
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Thinking is not just a private act – it shapes the world we live in. Right now, powerful voices are framing our politics with paranoia: War paranoia – pundits talk calmly about conflict with China. Migration paranoia – a tiny minority problem inflamed into a crisis. Fiscal paranoia – false fears about debt used to justify austerity. These distortio…
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Donald Trump promised to Make America Great Again. Instead, he is wrecking the US economy. Job creation has collapsed, farmers can’t sell their crops, foreign investors are leaving, and tariffs are pushing up prices for ordinary Americans. In this video, I explain why Trump’s economic policies are a disaster — and why the UK should take note as the…
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The truth is stark: companies are hiding the real cost of the net-zero transition. Without honest accounting, capital is misallocated, pensions are at risk, and businesses will fail. Sustainable cost accounting is the solution.By Richard Murphy
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Wes Streeting wants to fund 200 new NHS health centres through PFI. But the Public Finance Initiative was a disaster in the past – locking hospitals and schools into decades of expensive contracts. Profits were privatised while risks and debts were socialised. This video explains why PFI 2.0 is a betrayal of the NHS, why it costs more, and why the …
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In this first podcast style interview between me and Steve Keen, the author of 'Debunking Economics', Steve recounts how early encounters with neoclassical and neoliberal economics, and the realities of firm behaviour, led him to reject economic fairy tales and become a rebel. His politics shifted too, from Vietnam-era conformity to organising for …
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We are told that central banks are neutral and above politics. The truth is, they’re not. Central bank independence was created to remove responsibility from politicians and hand power to unelected bankers. This video explains why the idea is a con trick, how it undermines democracy, and why it’s time to put money back under democratic control.…
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Fiscal rules are not laws of economics. They are political straitjackets designed to stop change. Every Chancellor since Gordon Brown has used them to limit public spending, block climate action, and enforce permanent austerity. The result? A weaker NHS, failing schools, inadequate housing, stagnant wages, and rising inequality. It’s time to abando…
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Some claim modern monetary theory (MMT) proves that tax doesn’t matter. They’re wrong. Tax is not about funding government spending—it’s about controlling inflation, creating demand for currency, and sustaining democracy. In this video, I explain why without tax, MMT collapses.By Richard Murphy
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Stablecoins are being sold as safe, secure cryptocurrencies. In reality, they are shadow banking in disguise – with the same risks that nearly destroyed the global economy in 2008. Nobel Prize–winning economist Jean Tirole is worried, and so am I. If these private tokens collapse, the public will pick up the bill. It’s time to call stablecoins what…
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Politicians love to talk about “taxpayers’ money.” But here’s the truth: every pound in circulation is created by the government or banks licensed by it. This video explains why a £5 note is really a promise from the state, not something you or I created. If we stop believing in the myth of taxpayers’ money, we can start demanding real accountabili…
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Labour has an economic problem – and appointing Minouche Shafik as Starmer’s senior economic adviser will not fix it. Shafik represents the neoliberal technocracy that has failed for decades. She may talk progressive language, but her loyalties lie with the institutions that defend the elite. Labour is out of ideas, still clinging to a broken model…
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History shows it clearly: austerity creates the conditions in which fascism thrives. When governments strip away public services, weaken safety nets and deepen inequality, people lose hope in democracy and turn to authoritarian “strongmen.” From Weimar Germany to modern Britain, austerity is the midwife of fascism. The only way forward is investmen…
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Is Modern Monetary Theory just Keynes rebadged? Many think so—but they’re wrong. This video compares Keynesian ideas on borrowing and balanced budgets with MMT’s claim that governments create money when they spend. Understanding this difference changes how we think about debt, inflation, and what governments can really do.…
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We talk about food poverty and fuel poverty, but almost never about rent poverty. Yet rent is now the biggest driver of inequality in Britain. Thatcher’s deregulation turned homes into speculative assets, and tenants into disposable people. It’s time for a change. In this video, I explain why rent poverty is central to our inequality crisis — and w…
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The UK doesn’t just have one economy: it has three. They are the real economy, the sustainable economy, and the monetary economy. However, the government is fixated on the wrong one. In this video, I explain why the real economy matters more than the monetary economy, why sustainability needs to get a look in, and why Rachel Reeves seems to have no…
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Nigel Farage says he wants to replace the UK Human Rights Act with a so-called “British Bill of Rights.” But let’s be clear: this is not about protecting freedoms. It’s about removing them. The Human Rights Act brings into UK law the European Convention on Human Rights, a treaty drafted after the Second World War with strong UK backing, led by Wins…
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The media claims UK government borrowing costs have soared to 5.6%, spelling financial crisis for Rachel Reeves. But that’s nonsense. Bond yields are being distorted by a stock market bubble, not by government risk. Reeves shouldn’t issue bonds at these rates — she should wait for the crash that’s coming. In this video, I explain how bond yields re…
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Nigel Farage says he wants to abolish the Human Rights Act — the law that guarantees 16 fundamental protections in the UK. From the right to life to freedom of speech, from fair trials to free elections, he wants them gone. This isn’t just about deportations. It’s about stripping away the freedoms that protect us all from the potential tyrannies of…
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Capital, Capitalism, and the Capture of Democracy
37:41
37:41
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37:41Capital might be a hopeful human achievement, but capitalism has captured democracy for the few: a conversation with John ChristensenBy Richard Murphy
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The story goes: if Britain used modern monetary theory, the bond market would revolt. The truth is the opposite. In this video, I explain why the UK government’s ability to create money, to invest in real assets, and to build a stronger economy, all of which would be enabled by modern monetary theory thinking, would make British investors in the UK…
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Is Labour trying to lose the 2029 election? That’s what it looks like. Growth has stalled, the NHS is failing, housing promises are broken, and the public feels ignored. In this video, I explain how Rachel Reeves, Morgan McSweeney, and Keir Starmer’s Labour are pursuing a strategy that could end in political disaster.…
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