The failure of Neoliberalism and how to solve it | George Monbiot interview

George Monbiot came by JOE Towers on the launch day of his new book The Invisible Doctrine: The Secret History of Neoliberalism (& How It Came to Control Your Life).

In this interview he speaks to Oli about neoliberal economics in Britain, the powers that maintain its place in society and how Keir Starmer will do little to break its hold.

Subscribe to our new podcast now, or you're a silly goose:

[hyper_fn_al]

"Broadly speaking: we are a society of altruists, governed by psychopaths."
- George Monbiot

[MrGavinBoyd]

Too late. Most of Britain’s state assets have been sold. The problem with Thatcherism is that you eventually run out of assets to sell to overseas investors so that they can rip off British consumers.

[Petraisshred]

Oh my days can't believe im actually hearing someone discuss the horror of the social care industry that surrounds young people and children in care

[oldishandwoke-ish]

I realised this aged 18 in 1979 and here we are in 2024, it is reaching its logical conclusion: total economic meltdown.

[Andy.Smurphy]

George Monbiot a true British hero, if only we have more of his kind dominating politics ...

[fabiodeoliveiraribeiro]

Yesterday an English friend sent me an adorable video in which a little girl shows immense indignation because they wanted to charge £9 for two ice creams. With £5.90 I buy a 2 liter jar of pineapple/wine ice cream in Brazil. The video was the beginning of a long conversation. I was shocked to learn that she pays £5 a day for electricity. Her family's monthly electricity bill (£150) is equivalent to 64.5% of the minimum wage in Brazil. Most Brazilians would not be able to pay this electricity bill. Here I pay the equivalent of £13 per month for electricity and another £77.39 per month for condominium fees (including water and piped gas with no usage limit). The prices of things in England are insane and that's what the neoliberal bastards want to bring to Brazil.

[efghggdxlmfn]

“Inverted totalitarianism, unlike classical totalitarianism, does not revolve around a demagogue or charismatic leader. It finds expression in the anonymity of the Corporate State. It purports to cherish democracy, patriotism, and the Constitution while manipulating internal levers.”
― Chris Hedges, Empire of Illusion: The End of Literacy and the Triumph of Spectacle

[haomingong]

Monbiot has a vision of England, beyond the harms of capitalism, that returns us together to our truer selves and better relations. As an older (59) person, the fact that the younger generation tend to want and advocate for this kind of comradely, empathetic, sustainable future, fills me with hope

[shinydarknight]

Great interview, should be on national television

[willrogers]

One of the best assessements of the current state of power in our society that I've ever listened to. The problems we have are painfully avoidable and only exist due to the motivations of the wealthy. Everyone should listen to this

[daviddobarganes]

When they were saying "Capitalism is the end of history" they weren't saying we will never find a better system, they were saying we will never dislodge the giant tick bringing humanity to its knees

[td]

Marx thought he was living in late stage capitalism, but he hadn't seen the modern world. This system is eating itself alive.

[Om-rytb]

Really glad youre talking about the horrific way young people in care are being profiteered from. Absolutely depraved disgusting people running companies to make money that way.

[richardday]

Weirdly, I've been thinking about this over the past week or so, feeling pretty crap about myself, but not able to articulate what is bothering me. To hear someone basically explain what my thoughts are in words I could never muster was refreshing.

[frasercook]

So happy he mentioned children in care. It’s why as a care experienced person I rejected the status quo and anti neoliberalism.

[mikepotter]

George was just talking about our public services being outsourced to foreign states and my viewing was interrupted by an ad for EDF. Couldn't make it up! 😩

[shimmime]

This is the best interview EVER. Everybody needs to watch it.

[gazfisher]

"The elite ruling class wants us asleep so we'll remain a docile, apathetic herd of passive consumers and non-participants in the true agendas of our governments, which is to keep us separate and present an image of a world filled with unresolvable problems, that they, and only they, might somewhere, in the never-arriving future, may be able to solve."
William Melvin Hicks

[karenwilliams]

George hits all the metaphorical nails on the head. I live in Spain because society still exists here, a non-economic culture still exists. The British disease began centuries ago. George has my undying admiration.

[LyricalLacerations]

I think a law needs to be passed that scraps private ownership of public services. They can sell the water and rail back to the public, but the cost of rebuilding comes out of that sale. If the amount needed to fix the service is greater than the amount by the sale. The shareholders are then indebted to the state for said amount. This is an insanely unfair deal for the shareholders, but you know what fuck em. They basically fucked us over and I think this is completely just.