Mark Blyth: The AthensLive Interview

[@robertduncan2873]

At last someone who knows and explains this knowledge with lucidity and conviction.A breath of wisdom through a forest of lies.

[@stap0510]

Wonderfully said.

[@marckaptijn1]

Also wonderfully sad...

[@thecriticalthinkingchannel462]

Your use of words are lucid as well.

[@Cenyon]

Came here from The Jimmy Dore Show. Great explanation from Prof. Blyth, gonna read his book this summer.

[@gregoryodonnell3793]

Wow, me too. Already bought his book.

[@georgecostanza4570]

me too

[@RogerBall1975]

Yep me as well, just ordered the book

[@johnfoster3457]

Ditto. Thanks Jimmy.

[@christoskaralis9880]

me too and i am Greek and he could not be more close on what is going on Greece. There is no hope!

[@graeme49]

Great line: "The Hamptons is not a defensible position" (11:18-11:30)

[@fterimage]

Looking forward to tasting human flesh.

[@alloomis1635]

blyth knows whats wrong, but is no revolutionary. why should he be, well paid, secure position. but usa problem is fundamental. the constitution was written to ensure the rule of the rich, and there is no path to change but revolution. 'elect the right politicians?' hasn't been done. not even under the impetus of the great depression. the politicians just threw some symbolic bread to the poor, but didn't change the constitution. ww2 created a brief prosperity and 90% marginal taxes. but the rich just bought back their nation, it is theirs, one politician at a time. the only long term base for general prosperity is democracy. when power is in the hands of the electorate, decisions will be made to provide a good life for most and a basic living for all, through socialism. really easy, but needs a people accustomed to thinking they are as good as politicians at intelligent direction, and much better at character.

[@konormccracken]

sometimes that line is the only thing that gets me out of bed in the first place

[@antediluvianatheist5262]

@@konormccracken We will come for them.

[@lunkerjunkie]

"They've become second hand enforcers in a creditors paradise"

[@boyanlepoev2105]

Excellent and approachable explanations, analogies and plain selection of facts. Thank you professor! Now I hope this video gets seen by the same hundreds of millions that cannot wait to click on the next Taylor Swift video...

[@pcuimac]

Sadly the dumb masses really exist and they don't give a shit for understanding the system they live in. It's rome all over again. "bread & games"

[@YazGuitarChannel]

The "dumb masses" voted for Brexit, despite the media, every political leader in the world (except Trump), the IMF, the EU, the Chambers of Commerce, George Soros, and every conceivable entity threatened them to stay. It's the "educated" that are crying like babies because Britain is leaving the EU. The "educated" are the problem, willing to sell their countries out.

[@catlover-fo1jy]

Brilliant! Thank you so much for tackling this Brexit issue in the aftermath. Too bad it isn't being aired on LAMESTREAM national news media channels in the USA....the people here need a serious reality sandwich!!!

[@MartinJasovsky]

This guy is incredible. No BS tolerance what so ever and uncomfortably sober view...

[@GenghisVern]

excellent interview

[@Durchbrechen]

thank you for your uploads, terrific video and with subtitles as well. Great work. I didn't know Mark Blyth. What he says makes perfect sense.

[@AirelonTrading]

Absolutely excellent

[@fizban64]

Brilliant professor Mark Blyth, thanks.

[@richardmayger2716]

Well said

[@roymindmybusiness6908]

this is the most amazing interview just wow -he is so right ! all normal people are being sold out and trodden down

[@notreadyfortorpedos]

I love this man.

[@HannesRadke]

Just for clarification: @1:38 He says "German Hartz reforms" not, "German harsh reforms" (as it states in the subtitles. The infamous Hartz reform from the beginning of the millennium are what squeezes the heck out of German workers. If you get unemployed there are all sorts of "sanctions", it's very punishing. If you don't take just any job when you're unemployed your benefits called (Hartz IV or ALG II) can be cut back to 0, which basically ends your life as a part of society. So everyones scared shitless to "fall into Hartz 4". It's really a catastrophe for the rights of German workers and everyone else here. But it made Germany more competetive in the process.

[@MarkSalmon1]

The key point here for me was 'If the EU doesn't improve the lives of the majority of people in Europe, then what is it for?' This is what caused Brexit - the majority of people in the UK think that the EU does not improve their life and the elites have had a nasty wake-up call from the referendum result.

[@dexstewart2450]

...and yet everything the Brexiters bitch about was caused by neo-Liberal governments, including New Labour - none of it was because of the EU.

[@bicyclemanNL]

Mark Salmon - I think a lot of people are misinterpreting you. My reading is that up thinks it hasn’t seen benefits and yet it the eu that is working for the minimal wage everywhere. Quality of goods and life is part and parcel of the eu agenda. They try to save Greece and Italy who made their own problems are being helped by the eu.

[@MrBillythefisherman]

What the f#$@ are you talking about? Brexit was dreamt up by the Tory party and Nigel Farage. A party for the elite and an public school boy ex stock trader. You cant get more elite than arch Brexiteer Jacob Rees-Mogg. Jesus.

[@vinniechan]

@O. M. Well rich people win brexit or not

[@vinniechan]

@O. M. mark Blyth words are prescient as we see things kick off in Capitol Hill and EU won't be far behind Brexit blew a hole in the EU budget and asking member states to pay more or spend less are both non starter

[@alboystewart2212]

This man is a breath of fresh air

[@5ynthesizerpatel]

1:15 Mark shows his class by thanking the server even while being on air

[@MrSonicAdvance]

Fantastic interview! The Brexit campaign could have done with him front and centre.

[@llewbach77]

He would never have a voice on the Pro European Brittish media.

[@zwergie256]

+AthensLive GR At the 6.37 minute mark the subtitles are wrong. The subtitle says "Russian leguitty", but Blyth is saying "ration liquidity"

[@flitsies]

This guy is bang on the button.

[@ArthurWKLo]

Is it just me, or is the captioneer slightly confused by the good professor's Scottish accent?

[@robthehitmanrude]

Its like trying to catch a spider with a glass.

[@DerekYoung1]

Russian leguitty :-) Rationing Liquidity

[@julianshepherd2038]

I'm from Glasgow. If he spoke in his Dundee Scots I would miss at least half of it.

[@dnanarv]

I've found a few similar ppl recently. Noticed the common trait was a knowledge of economics with sociology /politics /historical perspective. Instead of ideas, they look at macroeconomics with a people perspective.! Brilliant.

[@dnanarv]

Wow.... Mind blown.

[@andersonjoseph4167]

easy to understand

[@Erdavorn]

thx!

[@EllieEllie1799]

There are mistakes in the subtitles at 14:18 . He says "Greece was important only because Greece was the trigger", not on the purpose that Greece was the trigger and at 15:37 "for a bunch of followers in the middle who don't particularly care for them".

[@elizabethmelas2013]

Incredible

[@gracekarambelas1929]

At 6:38, in the subtitle "Russian Leguitty" should be "ration liquidity".

[@gracekarambelas1929]

At 6:58ish, "knocked out" should be "knackered"

[@toresbe]

At 1:40, "Harsh reforms" should be "Hartz reforms"

[@applejinx7172]

At 15:36, "followers in the middle" should be "floaters in the middle" (think 'unflushable')

[@applejinx7172]

'who don't particularly care for them'

[@applejinx7172]

At 16:00, "second-handed forces" should be 'second-hand enforcers of a creditor's paradise'.

[@Ernest1010]

great vid but the closed captions have a lot of inaccuracies

[@stevenjv334]

dude is a beast of knowledge

[@pdales2257]

the 7 that dislike the video must be bankers.

[@1873Winchester]

"If the EU and euro at the end of the day isn't improving the lives of the majority of people, what is it for?" You know the same applies to growth, what is the point of growth that only goes to the top?

[@fixedrome]

Put please some kittens, this thing has to be seen.

[@Manuel-qu3tc]

haahaha hilarious comment

[@jeffmoore9487]

I've watched a several Blyth vids now. He's points out the contradictions in the standard economic playbook very convincingly, but I haven't heard his version of the solutions. Can anybody point me to it? I've known for decades (with nothing like his clarity though) that our economic system has nothing under it but greed, but knowing that is only a first step to finding a fix.

[@terryharrison8669]

I like this guy. Paul Mason and the Renegade Economist are pretty good at explaining this stuff as well. What RBS did to small business to cover their arises is a fucking disgrace.

[@piotr803]

Mark owns the room. Curious about that comment about Trump turning 8B company to 3Bn. Anyone knows the details?

[@MichielVanKets]

that's just another smear from the left ... what happened is that he has a brother and a sister, so he got only 1/3 of the money ... so, the lefties spread the lie that he lost the other 2/3 ... complete nonsense

[@piotr803]

no never

[@seandelaney2066]

Mistake in subttles early on: It isn't 'the German harsh reforms' I think Mark is referring to the German Hartz IV reforms.

[@ScubaCat3]

Pretty sure he said "mishandled it", not "must handle this", at 22:02

[@softwine2002]

Where is the video for the rest of this talk? Thanks!

[@Saddutchman]

If he is right in his analyses, then it means that more then 50% of the people feels left out.

[@jacquelineheath8938]

In a nutshell, that's why 52% voted for Brexit.

[@x4ms]

wow!

[@mr.d.8121]

Mark Blythe should be required reading in all schools at all ages.

[@Cromper]

Why have we got English subtitles?

[@milkywaysurfer9475]

For many non-native speakers, his scottish dialect is difficult to understand, that's why.

[@jack110810567]

"athens live" is a big clue ....

[@belmany]

Good one. Subtitles need to be fixed.

[@BodyByBenSLC]

I remember in the 90s Bush and Clinton admins made promises of training and we are all going computers programmers. At the same time public schools lose funding and college cost went up same time low end jobs leave country. No wonder people are mad as hell.

[@jo-han]

7:39 I almost got that guys password.....

[@PaoloDiTommaso]

Is the last part of the interview available somewhere?

[@geraldodiaz120]

Also came here from tjds

[@MrWilko58]

"Eventually people will come for you." Be very afraid!

[@pcuimac]

This guy is so good. I wish he would publicly disgrace our german "schwabish housewife Merkel and Schauble" in a discussion on german TV (ARDund ZDF) at prime time! lol

[@padbrit]

Was Yanis Varoufakis the Greek finance minister at the time of this interview?

[@dimitrismarl]

Nope. Tsakalotos

[@RKZX2]

interesting. very similar to the US economy.

[@robertcece6972]

This is hilariously tragic. We just elected Trump in the US. Nobodys lending or spending and we're $20T in debt. I think at this point in my life for my own survival I need to make as much money as fast as possible, convert it to food, water, medicine, gold... then build a bunker and wait for America to cannibalize itself like Greece.

[@thewickinator]

Was this interview done before or after Brexit?

[@novocastrianwinter9869]

Alex Shackelford after

[@thomasholland2384]

I voted Leave because my English brain could not much longer take this foreign reign. No way was I going to vote to hand my nation over to Germany, Never never never.

[@Ianbolton]

Do you still feel like leaving has really got our country back?

[@lesleyegg]

We haven't left yet! Too early to say.

[@thomasholland2384]

Ian Bolton Yes.

[@wololo696969]

you are one dumb fuck and thus deserve all of the backlash the brexit is gonna have in store for you.

[@johnline]

watching this in 2019, absolutely rings true to this day, the eu is the ruin of europe

[@Trip4man]

Is it?? Or it's the elites that make all the mess and we end up cleaning their shit?? And btw, one thing that Mark Blyth didn't talked about, is that the current state of the EU isn't in any of the treaties signed by European countries! Meaning, our governments indeed sold us down the river. Nobody (population) signed to give the money printing press to the Germans. They just did it! But Mark is an Economic expert not a Constitutional judge. All these illegal things happening on our backs and nobody noticed it. Nobody cares too... I think Europe will become, or should become, more like America. Yup, I know, a controversial statement and I don't take particular pleasure in saying it. Little power to governments and banks and more power to people. Because the elites can do whatever what they want with our money and this is what we are realizing last decades... Or at least we should be realizing.

[@ianflamm1573]

Pretty good 'Murican accent at 16:58.

[@davidherron9151]

I admit I did not know all this but I knew to leave , and I know that If I am far away from the big money in my own country and then we merge with tons of other country's with tons of other people like me...why does that help me...its just dilutes the wealth and I am not even in a wealthy class, so its just going to mean lower pay more hours and less voice. Its just common sense been going on for centuries

[@wavestherules558]

That's a question they've GOT no answer to and not. Brought no answer to. sorry to see you missed that, i find it a significant word change

[@flickdasher1775]

give em a break. they're greeks trying to transcribe a scotsman's words. many non-scottish brits would struggle!

[@gmackkendrick9964]

Why are there sub titles? He is speaking ENGLISH

[@Sky_Daddy]

I got here from the Jimmy Dore Show as well. I think this guy is trying to tell the USA to drop the Federal Reserve Bank. I thought I was crazy for thinking that until now.

[@PMunkS]

Jimmy Dore got me here too. For a good "alt" documentary, critical of the Fed, take a look at James Corbett's "Century of Enslavement: The History of The Federal Reserve" (01h:30m) [www.corbettreport.com/federalreserve/]. So thorough is the work of Mr. Corbett, that he provides transcripts, citation, and notation that might be later researched.

[@DavidEdwards-pc1sw]

JIMMY DORE THE BEST MAN EVER !!!!!

[@SeanCStark]

Times are bad because banks are not lending, not "the times are bad so the banks are not lending.

[@SeanCStark]

I typed too fast... Times are bad, because(!) the banks aren't lending. They have PLENTY of capital. -No shortage of labor, goods, time or space. Only need start-up costs. Or expansion plans, etc. Big banks should lend similtainiously. Gift generous time. Magically the economy will come back. That is not what they have on the to do list.

[@morat242]

We've got plenty of supply. The problem is the demand. Projects that would be perfectly reasonable investments in normal times are insane risks in Spain with an unemployment rate of 20%, much less Greece. People are desperate to save money, i.e. they are desperate to not spend money. Which means that investing in a new or expanded factory has a high chance of failure because there are no customers. My spending is your income and your spending is my income. The banks are no more going to invest in the capacity to make a bunch more stuff that they don't think can sell with so many broke people than the people are to rescue the economy by all boosting their spending at once even though many of them can't afford it. The only ways around that are A) have the government accept the lessons of Keynes and just hire people to do stuff (i.e. creating demand for things the government wants done, making investment safer and giving people money to spend) or B) wait until enough stuff is worn out or destroyed that people *have* to spend.

[@SeanCStark]

I don't agree. The Keynsians/ Austrians have been invalidated. Check one of the best places for the conversation to move forward if you'd like. It's Real Currencies. Check it out.

[@pcuimac]

+Sean Stark What have Keynsians to do with Austrian economics? Keynsian models like Paul Krugmans have worked very well to explain the mess we got into in 2008.

[@SeanCStark]

Read the releases. They are not the same. Read up on both... I should have stated more it clearly. Is that clearer for you.

[@JoeySchmidt74]

I knew people like myself at the arse end of society were basically the policed ones, but I've never felt more disengaged from political decisions than I have since after New Labour got in in 1997. We were duped into thinking that they were still the same party that Neil Kinnock and John Smith were in charge of. More recently, however, I voted yes to Scottish independence as I saw nothing wrong with the risks of self determination and we would've had the bonus of being shot of Westminster, but the weight of the UKOK establishment lied their way to victory. Fast forward to 2015 and we get a Tory government that only 23.4% of the electorate voted for and Scotland vehemently rejected and then this year in June where we get an EU leave vote and Sturgeon starts hammering out the possibility of Scotland using the bloody Euro! No win scenario sounds about right if you're on a similar playing field to me and my family. The only ones winning are those at the top pulling the strings.

[@paulreesor8200]

The ones at the top control government for their benef exclusively. We're slaves to the central banks and banks that print money and charge interest. It all goes to them . People are just there to do the work and create wealth for them, in addition fund wars and terrorists to keep people afraid and building and blowing up equipment and sometimes taking over resources and territories and sterling gold, forcing driving countries to bankruptcy.

[@jamieward3574]

Love how wrong the subtitles were in places like when Mark says 'ration liquidity' and the subtitles say 'Russian leguitty'

[@ChrisInToon]

Greeks, I was wondering, in post EU land will the Russians come in? are they popular?

[@mirabeaux851]

I wish they had spent less on camera and more on audio -_-

[@erwin643]

LOL! This Scottish accent! Makes me want to see Bravehart again: "You may take our lives, but you'll never take our freedom!" (Spoken in my crappy Scottish voice).

[@jimwest7107]

Very interesting , only just seen this video.He shows a lot of the reasons those on the left voted to leave , anti austerity, anti workers being trampled.Months later Brexit is still largely aligned by the media as a right wing thing but the reasons Mark explains show why the likes of Corbyn himself have wanted out for 30 years.

[@marks.2909]

I’ve listened to practically everything Mr. Blyth has to say over the years , the interviews on the Jimmy Dore Show including much of everything else , his brilliant analysis and predictions certainly makes you think . However Mark Blyth’s endorsement of far left scatter brains like AOC has completely turned me off anything else Blyth says from here on through ,. Finally Mr.Blyth have you actually listened to her deep thoughts as I like to phrase what she has blurted out and your comment people like her are our future,.Say it ain’t so ! my God ,.Lol

[@dalecharlesphoto]

7:38

[@whiteeaglewarrior]

Imagine if we had people like this as teachers for our children, explaining systems in truth, encouraging critical thought. Nope but lets teach 5 year olds about the importance of transgenderism instead.

[@antediluvianatheist5262]

It's not either/or.

[@JanHenningKlasen]

Does he really mean harsh reforms or the "Hartz" reforms?

[@antediluvianatheist5262]

Hartz

[@buzzybee2517]

The hamptons is not a defencable position, sooner or later thy will come for you XD

[@shaesullivan]

poster.keepcalmandposters.com/default/5538440_hello_hello_hello_im_still_waiting.png

[@petermclarine2215]

too bad Greece was not allowed to print more money (and the money goes to the people) and not to save any identity.. Should Greece leave the EU as well?

[@samfreeman2839]

Yes

[@SlackerU]

11:19

[@dukeickthorn1711]

sound arguments but very much delivered with the Scot-pessimism

[@merseybeat1963]

..But you (Greece) did not receive 3 Bailouts..a Bailout infers some forgiveness of debt.The last two so called Bailouts went directly to German Banks servicing the interest.There is no Debt Relief/Bailout. The Loan is the Principle..the Loan Agreement is where the injustice lies.

[@mr7wi]

The Hamptons are still indefensible.

[@tonywilson4713]

Interesting that people are still watching in 2020. It would be really interesting to have the same 3 people in the same room right now. OR It would be good to see 2 Americans trying to argue the same concepts as these 2 Greeks right now - December 15, 2020.

[@cfarinho]

massive contractions

[@mrzack888]

Gamestop is just the beginning.

[@petermclarine2215]

Yep..this is Trumpism..right on Professor.

[@samfreeman2839]

Professor Blythe everything you have said is correct but your solution to the eurozone crisis is wrong. The only way too solve it is a break up of the eurozone. Italy and Greece need to leave it. People want national sovereignty and don’t like the EU . Hence Brexit

[@jeffjoseph]

We in America are screwed Trump or Hillary what a choice.

[@worldtravelercommentary5219]

The bottom 30% are the basket of deplorables?

[@jamesblack8173]

Translated from the Dundonian into English. Hahaha!

[@jrdirty4797]

Apparently, the limited theatre releases of trainspotting in the US was done with baked in English subtitles, like is done with foreign film.

[@alloomis1635]

when you have a hammer, you concentrate on nails. but 'civilization' is politics, not economics. if homo sap established democracy, there is some hope that control through politics would bring elites under control, and distribute wealth in adequate degree. so talking about banks is not really useful, getting democracy is the fundamental problem. it's fun to hear blyth take the verbal saber to plutocracy, but we need mao, or che, not phd's.

[@antediluvianatheist5262]

Economics shapes politics.

[@felicity4711]

So what is a Trumpism?

[@musicfangt]

What were all these he was talking about? He defo does not understand or realises Greece's political circumstances. Additionally he seems to forget UK austerity, that countries inside Euro do not have the right to print money etc etc etc..... Has he come from the moon or something? And what was that about how Israel managed to become a great economy? With decades of US aid , but Mark forgot this important info .... give us a break man... you should preach on UK for a start and the develop the argument abroad..

[@musicfangt]

I did listen . You did not get my point I am afraid.

[@musicfangt]

Well, possibly you need to have the last word and you do not seem to understand that others might have a different opinion. Fair enough point made.

[@cfarinho]

harz reforms

[@donha475]

I don't get clearly where he stands on many issues. He just seems to be negative about everything with no solutions. Does he want to abolish central banks like I do? Does he want to limit large governments or is he a massive socialist? He needs to be able to clearly state what overall change his arguments is trying to achieve. Anyone want to explain? I've listened to a fair bit of his content now and he talks a lot but with no clear message.

[@mectrid6832]

His argument from what I garnered is that what is being done currently isn't working, no one is admitting to the fact and it's all just continuously swept under the rug. It's not his job to say how things should work, but he can give a very educated opinion with reasoning as to why it's not, which hopefully educates others.

[@donha475]

currently I think that this guy is just going to incite more conflict on both sides because he is taking both sides.

[@blechtic]

It might be my personal biases showing through, but I thought he was being perfectly clear: The Greek government need to devise a sustainable plan or a vision of what their economy will run on (i.e. what they will produce, etc.) instead of mere wishful thinking, so that they will not be wholly dependent on charity and loans. That will get allow them to get a buy-in from their citizens and the European circles. The first buy-in will start to earn their trust which means being able to collect taxes and put the money to work to start implementing the plan to get the economy going and eventually become a financially independent, viable economy. The second buy-in gives them the relief in austerity measures to gain the means to start implementing the plan. Without an economic plan not only will nothing happen but there isn't going be much goodwill to get the government running. The (European/global) left will have to also formulate and start to push for a larger vision that focuses on the lower classes (the poor and the middle class) and deliver to them jobs, wages, security, equality and a real future. Obviously that has to include some larger vision of the (national) economies in a global context as well. The 1% need to start giving a shit about other people (as a class). The inequality is clearly unsustainable and they will be the target of disaffected people's anger once it boils over. Desperation creats all sorts of social problems. It's extremely difficult to keep defending yourself against a mob or detemined individuals. The rich can afford to give up significant percentages of their income, power and wealth and will need to do so in some fashion in order to fix the basis of the economy, balance the inequalities and save themselves from if not actual eventual harm then at least a harried existence inside their golden cages.

[@bengallardo3953]

Hayden Donnelly NZ Good. More conflict should be created, the establishment left needs...again I say...needs.. to fuck off. Only real progressive populism will get the votes necessary to win against the extreme right rising across the globe. If the right wins, it is the establishment Lefts fault, because they abandoned the middle and lower class with bs promises of globalization been ok because everyone will become an entrepreneur or a computer programmer. Automation and offshoring are fucking murdering the middle class, and the est Liberals solution is the pipe dream that most people will become successful artist or computer programmers who work in "green technology"...the old left establishment NEEDS 2 fucking die, otherwise we will have zero chance in beating the right, they are already winning in the UK, Hungary, Russia, Austria and now the US. France and Germany are now also on the edge...It is do or die for a bright future. He doesn't offer a major solution because that is uncertain territory, but perhaps we could look into Universal Basic Income, or some other form of wealth/profit redistribution.

[@donha475]

ben gallardo I kind of agree in part... I see 99% of politics whether "left" or "right" as all similar in one basic way... They want to raise taxes and create a massive government to force the will of the majority onto the losers... Ban this, regulate that, welfare the shit out of these voters...invade here... I am a libertarian and so whether you argue for going left or right you are arguing for more SOCIALISM. Trump is just as socialist as Hillary he just wants to spend all that money and use all that power in a different way... I on the other hand am a libertarian. I want individual liberties to come back. Less tax, less regulation, more free market and letting two consenting adults trade their time and labour, property in whatever way they fucking want. I am sick and tired of socialism --> a top, down economy. And I apply this "top-down" analogy just as much to the left...They are the ones who want to pick winners and losers in the markets by subsidising stuff left right and centre, education, healthcare (obamacare) and look at the result... Minimum wage laws...complete fucking disaster! Oh and I cannot forget... CENTRAL BANKS - manipulating interest rates and printing money like there is no tomorrow... completely fucks up the capital investment structure... Interest rates are supposed to serve a very important function - it is the price on impatience with consuming versus saving... Now everyone just borrows money up to the hilt and slapps it on the biggest house they can afford...

[@Picklemedia]

did the reporter do some ecstasy before this interview? Why is he touching himself so much?

[@lordnelson9888]

this dude is inconsistent in thoughts.