Robert Reich: The System: Who Rigged It, How We Fix It (Bristol Festival of Ideas)

Millions of Americans have lost confidence in their political and economic system. After years of stagnant wages, volatile job markets, and an unwillingness by those in power to deal with profound threats such as climate change, there is a mounting sense that the system is fixed, serving only those select few with enough money to secure a controlling stake. Robert Reich (author of The System, former US Secretary of Labor and now a professor of public policy at the University of California at Berkeley) shows how wealth and power have interacted to install an elite oligarchy, eviscerate the middle class, and undermine democracy.

He exposes how those at the top, be they Democrats or Republicans, propagate myths about meritocracy, national competitiveness, corporate social responsibility, and the ‘free market’ to distract most Americans from their own accumulation of extraordinary wealth, and their power over the system. Instead of answering the call to civic duty, they have chosen to uphold self-serving policies that line their own pockets and benefit their bottom line.

We discuss with Reich how to demystify the system so that voters might instill fundamental change and demand that democracy works for the majority once again.

He is in conversation with Festival of Ideas director Andrew Kelly.

Festival of Ideas is presented by Bristol Ideas. Find out more here: https://www.bristolideas.co.uk/

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