wnyc.org / 93.9fm / am 820

Comments

• [1] LevineJJ January 23, 2008 - 09:03AM

  Does the US Fed's move to artificially prop up the market yesterday in order to *Save* the market from "free market capitalism" qualify as humane?

  I imagine free markets as China, Saudi Arabia, etc. where poverty or wealth falls upon one solely according to the strength of their grip on commodities, and the economy is a zero sum game...

  
  
• [2] Brian from Crown Heights, Brooklyn January 23, 2008 - 11:33AM

  Doesn't capitalism *require* an impoverished class in order to function, whether this class be internal to a nation or be externalized entirely from a rich nation to poorer nations? I'd love to hear it explained to me why not...

  
  
• [3] KRB from NYC January 23, 2008 - 12:09PM

  I completely agree with #2. Capitalism is a pyramid with rich people at the the top (and fewer of them as you go up) and a wide base of poor at the bottom. It's not possible to have this system work w/o there being an automatic "underclass". Please, please, please have your guest address this.

  
  
• [4] markbnj from online: http://my-poem-a-day.com or markbnj.blogspot.com January 23, 2008 - 12:16PM

  Hi.

  Listening to this, I have an idea for (what I thought was a non-profit)

  but fits perfectly in this category.

  It is Green, it is a co-op, and would absolutely help the community, and I envisioned it as a non-profit (not for profit) so that It would be charging a reasonable price for the products.

  Any ideas about where I can find capital, or people htat would back this?

  I think this business could be a national business in the long term!

  markbnj @ excite dot com

  
  
• [5] markbnj from online: http://my-poem-a-day.com or markbnj.blogspot.com January 23, 2008 - 12:17PM

  to KRB:

  the CONCEPT that the guest is talking about COULD work. Look at the local "food Co-op"

  A small group of people work together, each does X amount of work per week/month/order, and all benefit.

  Same concept he discusses!

  
  
• [6] srterw January 23, 2008 - 12:18PM

  the us govt paid for your fulbright and for the feds bailout yesterday. this is anything but a free market...

  
  
• [7] Nick from Austin January 23, 2008 - 12:19PM

  I think it makes sense that it is more humane way, but I don't quite agree with the idea that we can solve all social problems with free market capitalism. I wholeheartedly believe #1 - that there are some problems that will take money and not make money off of it (for instance, taking care of the severely mentally handicapped) #2 - that during times of recession - coverage of micro loans to social programs will decrease and social programs that are eeking by will not weather harsh storms. Could you address these concerns?

  
  
• [8] XX from New York January 23, 2008 - 12:19PM

  I just wrote a long memo today about how 'mutual aid societies' were an alternative to providing financial services to community based groups in the 1800s, early 1900s, but our education system doesn't teach people about them, nor about the full injustice of our current system. Therefore, there is no activism or social entrepreneurship to address these grave issues of economic justice and retirement security. Since media is controlled by public company CEOs there is no platform for this discussion in the media. We need a BBC over here! NPR is not reaching the right people to create action.

  
  
• [9] Paul S. Stetzer from nyc January 23, 2008 - 12:26PM

  Please ask Muhammad Yunus hiw free trade fits into social markets.

  Thanks - Paul

  
  
• [10] jj January 23, 2008 - 12:28PM

  when you lent the $ for bamboo, did the price of bamboo rise? (ala us property values today)

  
  
• [11] XX from New York January 23, 2008 - 12:32PM

  Leonard

  Your question "is it a problem here?" I hope that was rhetorical! US banks only want to target families with certain kinds of 'wallet sizes' for their services. For investments, that means like $500K and above. Everybody else does not have access to products designed for their needs. These are the people who need retirement security the most in the day of 401K plans and no more traditional pensions. The worst part is that they have no access to understand the arcane financial system which is the bastion of some kind of disappearing Great and Good!

  
  
• [12] markbnj from online: http://my-poem-a-day.com or markbnj.blogspot.com January 23, 2008 - 12:37PM

  Actually I just got a second business idea for this concept of a social company. getting computers and internet for poor families by recycling computers.

  It's a great idea, and I have a lot of ways that it could also provide:

  job training

  initial jobs

  recycling points

  but again, getting financing and the idea together seems to be too difficult.

  
  
• [13] ericf from jersey city January 23, 2008 - 12:39PM

  please ask about similarities and differences between social businesses, not for profit businesses and credit unions.

  
  
• [14] XX from New York January 23, 2008 - 01:42PM

  Leonard. you may want to interview Joel Fleishman.

  His recent book, The Foundation: A Great American Secret, addresses some of the issues Yunus described about inefficiencies in the philanthropy market to address real social needs and allocate capital to the most productive projects.

  "Fleishman, who may be the world's greatest authority on foundations, studied 100 'significant foundation initiatives' in preparation for writing this book. 'The Foundation'...is certainly a must-read for the staff and board members of non-profits and for anyone running for public office." - Fayetteville Observer

  According to The Wall Street Journal,

  "The Foundation is [Fleishman's] critique of philanthropic practice and an agenda for reform. But it is not mere polemic... He is anything but a diehard foundation opponent. He says, rather, that he has been engaged in a lifelong 'lover's quarrel' with foundations. His book is a form of tough love."

  Fleishman is a Professor of Law and Public Policy at Duke University and former president of the Atlantic Philanthropic Service Company.

  He is a foremost authority and can de-construct the myth of the great American philanthropy to solve our social justice challenges.