We'll begin a series of discussions about the basics of Marxism, a method for understanding

and changing the world used by many of the great thinkers, activists, organizers, and

revolutionaries in modern history. Today we'll discuss what a monopoly is and how there is a natural

tendency toward monopoly under capitalism.

We need a new system. We need a new society. We need to demand that which may have sounded

impossible even a few weeks ago, but is not only realizable, but an imperative necessity. Deepening unemployment, a looming wave of evictions, massive and widening inequality, there's no denying it.

Capitalism is in crisis and capitalism is the crisis.

We are excited to have Professor Richard Wolfe join us again for our regular weekly segment where we talk about the biggest stories related to the economy, the state of the working class,

and the crimes of big business.

The Socialist program brings you content three days a week thanks to the support of our

patrons at patreon.com forward slash the socialist program. We appreciate all of your support. If you're

not a patron yet, please become one. Richard Wolf is the co-founder of the Organization

Democracy at Work. He's the author of many books,

the latest being, The Sickness is the System when Capitalism F fails to Save Us from Pandemics

or itself. You can check out his work at R-D-Wolf.com. That's R-D-W-O-L-F.com.

Professor Wolf, welcome back. Thank you very much, Brian. Glad to be here. Thank you so much for

joining. We want to talk about the issue of monopoly. You know, capitalism is touted even when you look

at government documents. Now, the U.S. foreign policy actually codifies the free market or free market

principles. I don't know what the principles

are in a market, but the U.S. foreign policy establishment for the last 30 years has said

the U.S. promotes free market principles. The idea of monopoly would in a way be the opposite of a free

market. And perhaps capitalism opposite of a free market.

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