What to read to understand some of the biggest challenges we face – and how to build a better world
If we want to build a fairer, greener world, we need to understand the economic, political and social forces that shape it. Inspired by the fantastic guests who joined us for the latest series of the New Economics Podcast, we’ve put together a list of some essential readings that can help us make sense of the world and give us ideas for building a better future. From understanding neoliberalism to rejecting green capitalism, these books are a great starting point to deepen your understanding of progressive economics and politics.
Power to the People by Danny Sriskandarajah
2024 is a historic year, with more than 80 countries and billions of people voting in elections — including here in the UK. But even as record numbers of us head to the polls, faith in democracies and trust in politicians feels increasingly fragile. In his new book, chief executive of NEF Danny Sriskandarajah grapples with the issue of voter apathy, and explores how we can make our democracies more participatory, and democratise our economies, digital spaces and global governance. We kicked off the latest series of New Economics podcast with an interview with Danny where he discussed his background and reflections on winning a new global economy. Listen here
The Invisible Doctrine by George Monbiot and Peter Hutchison
Neoliberalism is arguably the ideology that defines how we live in the 21st century — from how we work, to how we care for each other, to how we relate to the natural world. But it hasn’t always been this way. The Invisible Doctrine explores how neoliberalism came to be the dominant force in our societies, how we can expose its harm, and what we need to do to build a better system. We were delighted to have George on the podcast to discuss some of the lessons from his new book. Listen here
The Value of a Whale by Adrienne Buller
Most of us recognise the urgency and importance of stopping the breakdown of our climate and natural world — even mega-corporations and fossil-fuel giants now talk about their commitment to sustainability. So why aren’t we taking the necessary action to tackle the climate crisis? Adrienne Buller tackles this vital contradiction in her book The Value of a Whale, which highlights the contradictions inherent in “green capitalism”. Adrienne was joined by Brett Christophers (author of The Price is Wrong: Why capitalism won’t save the planet) on the podcast to explore the challenges green capitalism brings and what we can do about it. Listen here
Technofeudalism: What Killed Capitalism by Yanis Varoufakis
There’s a new force shaping global politics and economics: the power of big tech. In his new book Technofeudalism, economist and former Greek finance minister Yanis Varoufakis explains how big tech has taken hold of almost every aspect of our economy and now rivals capitalism as the biggest force shaping our world. Sounds bleak? The book also sets out new opportunities for challenging this takeover of our economy. We were delighted to have Yanis on the podcast to talk about his book as well as the rise of the far right in Europe. Listen here
Doughnut Economics: Seven Ways to Think Like a 21st-Century Economist by Kate Raworth
Our current economic model and focus on growth is killing the planet while failing to bring about improvements in living standards for the vast majority of people around the globe — but what’s the alternative? In her influential book Doughnut Economics, Kate Raworth challenges some of the fundamental assumptions underlying our economy and sets out an alternative approach where we meet everyone’s needs and keep within planetary limits. Kate was on the New Economics Podcast to talk about how we move beyond our thinking beyond growth. Listen here
The New Economics Podcast will be back for a new series this autumn — to be the first to know when each exciting episode is released, subscribe to the podcast on all podcast apps.
