The Ethics of Debt

October 14, 2018

First Aired: February 21, 2016

Listen

LOGIN or Subscribe TO LISTEN

According to a report from the Jubilee Debt Campaign, there are currently 24 countries facing a full-blown debt crisis, with 14 more on the verge. Globally, there is about $200 trillion of debt on the books. Although the poor and disenfranchised of the world play no role in negotiating these loans, in debt crises they usually end up paying the price. So when a country borrows money, who or what is the “economic agent” responsible for taking on the debt? Can traditional economic theory explain why we face debt crises and how we can get out of them? Or do we need a new economic model that dispels some of the myths of the traditional model and offers a more ethical solution to the global debt crisis? John and Ken are held to account with Julie Nelson from the University of Massachusetts Boston, author of Economics For Humans.

Leave a Reply

Buy the Episode

Listen to the Preview

Guest

Screen Shot 2020-06-05 at 1

Julie Nelson, Professor of Economics, University of Massachusetts Boston

Related Blogs

  • The Debt Crisis

    February 25, 2016

Get Philosophy Talk

Radio

Sunday at 11am (Pacific) on KALW 91.7 FM, San Francisco, and rebroadcast on many other stations nationwide

Podcast

Full episode downloads via Apple Music and abbreviated episodes (Philosophy Talk Starters) via Apple PodcastsSpotify, and Stitcher