Yanis Varoufakis on "Brexit" | The New School

Excerpt from Yanis Varoufakis: The Future of Capitalism ( • Yanis Varoufakis: The ... ). Sponsored by the Schwartz Center for Economic Policy Analysis (www.economicpolicyresearch.org) at The New School for Social Research (www.newschool.edu/nssr).
We all know Varoufakis as the former Greek Finance Minister and media sensation who stood up to Europe in the fight against austerity. His lecture will discuss themes from his new book, "And The Weak Suffer What They Must?," including the origins of a crisis that has affected not only Greece, but all of Europe.
Department of Economics | www.newschool.edu/nssr/economics
Varoufakis’ career has spanned academia, public service, and the private sector. After three decades in academia, he was elected to the Hellenic Parliament in 2015 as a member of the Syriza Party and became Minister of Finance in Alexis Tsipras’ government. He currently serves as professor of economics at the University of Athens and as a consultant for the Valve Corporation.
THE NEW SCHOOL | www.newschool.edu
Location: John L. Tishman Auditorium, University Center
Monday, April 25, 2016 at 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm

[@CourageousKitchen]

The Hotel California Dictum: "You can checkout anytime you want, but you can never leave."

[@p0llenp0ny]

Great line from a band from the 70s. How exactly is it relevant?

[@tinnedtuna8242]

You can 'leave' the Union, but you can never really leave the underlying system. As such, 'leaving' is a bit notional in this context.

[@pop-n-rock]

you will see on the way.A year has passed already after your comment..and it goes on..

[@bellysbluetube]

2 years on now and still in the hotel reception looking for the exit...

[@---vv5oy]

did this guy just make a hotel california reference? coolest finance minister ever

[@jenniferjanejames2873]

The difference, much as I admire Mr Varoufakis, is we British are the second largest CONTRIBUTOR financially. Greece was due to dodgy accounting ( and more probably , political desire on behalf of federalists), allowed in and were RECIPIENTS of contributions. I doubt his conclusion that we can never leave. History dear boy

[@edgardosalguero9979]

The uk did the right thing

[@comments2840]

This man is opinionated, but he is intelligent. Intelligent voices are always good to listen to.

[@comments2840]

"Conceitedly assertive and dogmatic in one's opinions."

[@pop-n-rock]

if you disagree, you are also dogmatic..

[@TheRazorTS]

old video and still none fixed his name typo >

[@tiggerjimbo1275]

I like this guy, I voted remain, but still understand the need for reform in making the EU more democratic etc.

[@jonie365]

I have a deep respect for this man, currently reading his book actually, but he was essentially saying there that it was wrong to leave due to the fact that the EU is disintegrating, which would mean being still interwoven with it when it did go down, ppl who think our current situation is bad, imagine the fallout from having to leave the EU as its imploded, also were a different case due to not being in the Eurozone. He did say how hed always campaigned against the EU and it has treated his country like dirt so there must be a part of him that thinks Brexit was magnificent.

[@pop-n-rock]

there is a big part of him that thinks like this, he does not like the EU but his common sense gets in the way. This is what he has been trying to say to the British people.Wake up.

[@Einardav]

No need to be so pessimistic and negative, Yanis! It's a step in the right direction. Britain has done what Greece should have done. Are you simply jealous? ;)

[@jbg48]

Misses the point that UK is in no way Norway and is not in the Euro and the Euro is key to everything. And as we've seen with Greece, the EU always happy to break its own rules....And they will do so again. UK will continue to pay in, but on its terms. Corps already proving that project fear was just that. City of London will never be replaced by Paris (France is a mess on the brink) or Frankfurt (good luck attracting top talent to live there, rather than London) The people have spoken.

[@omnisodium9869]

lol 90% sure that the only reason anyone cares that the UK left is that it might give France ideas about leaving when Troika just got their finances under control

[@IDieAlotAlot]

BREXIT was necessary

[@theamjolnir9641]

Good job Jonathan!

[@jasonchatto]

So we leave the single market.

[@omnisodium9869]

the UK is dependent on that single market, the EU, regardless of whether its in or out there is no leaving really, at least not right now

[@si4632]

Bloody hope so

[@TrainingMacro]

no it isn't.

[@ibizenco]

That's the only logical choice for you, British. Exit from every single European 'thing'. A majority of the British have chosen. As a European who supports (some kind of) European unity, but opposes the current EU, you have my full support. Leave everything that is European.

[@tetsuoiiii]

Use the Schwartz!

[@RogueBrit]

His first point is only valid in trade with EU not trade with nations outside the EU. But the EU also want to trade with us primarily the Germans Merkel has already made noises about J C Junkers being an obstacle to an trade agreement with the UK

[@jonie365]

And of course its Merkel and Germany who run the EU, with the French hanging on to its coattails, the entire Brussels bureaucracy is a show piece, as if Germany would do as Brussels demands, just wouldn't happen.

[@omnisodium9869]

You're wrong. The EC, the ECB and the IMF, infamously known as the "Troika", set things like VAT rates and control pretty much all over Europe's finances, and had just kind of gotten to the point where they could dictate France's economy with their Minister of Finance just accepting Then the UK left, and while it doesn't actually just much in terms of the EU functioning, it's a dangerous idea, especially if France starts thinking she can leave. If France goes, then Spain, Italy and Greece will most likely also go.

[@guleiro]

+Jonathan Bowden Learn how goods and services circulate freely in the EU and then come back to talk about EU "bureaucracy "... You're contradicting you're self. Thought brexit was about isolationism and " taking back control ".

[@stocktonful2]

Can someone tell me the benefits that Britain got when in the EU I left UK in 1965 we traded all over the world ,when I returned we where in EU most of our industry had gone And I don't see what was gained fishing fleet gone merchant fleet gone aero industry car and chemical industries seems we pay a lot in for little gain best to leave while we can

[@NosyFella]

But as Varoufakis suggested, leaving the EU in 2017 will not take us back to the economic situation of 1965. There have been too many developments in the global economy for that to happen. The UK is now left with HUGE uncertainties and the EU is itself in danger of disintegration.

[@falcons1988]

It makes sense that we won't be in the same position as 1965. Our fishing fleet won't automatically reappear, etc... that goes without saying. But freeing ourselves from the shackles of the EU will enable us to chart a new course and rebuild. Rebuilding creates jobs, enterprise and everything associated with it. We can restructure our economy, less London centric is a good thing. There is a country beyond the boundaries of the M25. We will be fine under the strong and stable leadership of a conservative government.

[@garymitrovic2503]

Well the reality of the situation is Britain's industry was dismantled by the Thatcher government, not the EU. Thatcher's government systematically undermined the working class, replacing high skilled jobs with low skilled jobs in the service industry and in essence creating a reserve labor force with her cruel economic model designed by Milton Friedman.

[@Frank75288]

fuck the single market...we don't need it

[@fortuner123]

Free trade deals with other countries bring some limitations of freedom of agreed rules. However, they don't try to interfere with our governing process unlike the EU. Yanis is wrong.

[@celestialteapot3310]

This will please the EU and reassure the neoliberal elites that it is business as normal.

[@bendigeidfranemmanueljones4546]

You'll note all economists measure themselves, and are measured, and argue over, etc etc, the area of the pyramid. And what will increase this. Yet it is the shape of the pyramid that matters most.

[@brianbriggs6479]

Advice from this guy and his buddy Larry Summers who almost single handily were responsible for the near bankruptcy of Eastern Europe and the financial crisis in the US. good luck!.

[@edenfilms4931]

I disagree. The sooner the EU is dismantled the better. The EEC, (European Economic Community) is all that's required. Hopefully the UK has set a precident...

[@fortuner123]

Stuff the single market. Let's pay the 3 percent instead.

[@dee-vee]

"Allowing Brussels to decide". Isn't it more complicated than that? It's difficult to predict how the dynamics of leverage and politics will play out. It may be counter-intuitive but sometimes, being outside gives you more leverage, while being inside, your voice may be drowned by the noise.

[@MrFury777]

I think the people voted to get out ....so far everything is going well maybe the numbers do add up

[@markrichards4062]

the u.k. should go as world trade sod the single market

[@ministryoftruthlove4577]

what ?!!! I don't understand ...Firstly all humanity requires a basic living wage to meet their basic needs ...shelter, water, food, clothing, healthcare and education....Secondly each human soul has its own personality and its own desires and passions to contribute to a meritocratic economy this is where humanity is divinely created to be true self empowered to gift the value of their skill ,service or product..discovery...invention ....Thirdly all services and products (defined as the second point) will be renewed to non-abuse of animals, humans and environment obviously....this is the alignment to a loving regenerative based system ....not for profit ,greed, elitism and corruption though for abundance.....and regeneration as humanity is created.

[@pop-n-rock]

most of the British now hate Varoufakis because he disagrees with Brexit. Well Brexit then.

[@jesuisbecoming6636]

The whole wide world is a single Market! doh

[@rodneykitchen3869]

Greece did n't have the courage to leave, once proud country owned by Germany ,get over it Yanis,you're up the creek without a paddle

[@pop-n-rock]

we did not have the courage to leave?? we were never asked that question! there never was a referendum on that. We had this precise referendum : do you want to take the next loan staying in the EU?'' YES or NO It was written in this exact way and we actually could not state if we wanted to stay in the EU. We voted 62% NO - not to take another miserable loan. Quite courageous, we knew we would get bankrupt.But we are proud people still . Tsipras ignored our referendum and being the Prime Minister, he capitulated. Mr. Varoufakis resigned at that same night. This was a treason to our referendum by Mr. Tsipras. So do not talk of courage, we had the guts to risk even without the money you have. Do not make assumptions and spread them like viruses. If you are a decent person I suggest to take this insult back. We 've already had enough of this shit-talk about Greeks.

[@jesuisbecoming6636]

The Greek people will disagree with him, when it comes to having to host EU immigrants intake. Greek farmers are ploughing around the refugees tents !

[@artmanrom]

:) Poor British, they even didn't knew what Brexit really means.

[@jenniferjanejames2873]

Goodbye ha ha

[@theyyluvxissa.]

I’m British born and bred and I knew exactly what I was voting for thank you very much for your concern. Those that voted leave are better informed than those who chose to yield to fear of the unknown or the lies of those with a vested interest in the uk remaining part of the system and continuing to bankroll it.

[@hermankatnip]

Spoken like a true puppet of the EU

[@pop-n-rock]

if that thought suits you, there is no need for arguments on this accusation. it is a problem that you just believe it.

[@jesuisbecoming6636]

Switzerland is not in the Single Market ! right in the heart of Europe! Increasingly, EU is coming under American Domination. Figure that one out ! Janis is getting his bribe! 😜

[@p0llenp0ny]

Exactly. When you have nothing more than a line from a cheesy 70s song to make your case, you're full of shit and have no argument.

[@MordredMS]

Switzerland is not in the Single Market, and it's very rich. True. But any third-rate country can be very rich if it turns itself into a fiscal haven in which money from all of the world's criminality (mafia, bribery, corruption, drug cartels, tax evasion) can freely flood with little to no repercussions.

[@dpersonal4187]

Varoufakis is a wolf in sheep's clothing.

[@NosyFella]

How so?

[@dpersonal4187]

He was with the administration that caused all the problems.

[@NosyFella]

Greece was already in a massive debt crisis before he took office. The EU would not accept his propositions and his colleagues in Syriza caved in on their principles, so he quit.

[@dpersonal4187]

He was part of the coverup of the debt that made things worse.