Rethinking Capitalism

OPEN TO THE PUBLIC | Do you ever wonder why our global economy produces an enormous range of goods and services yet fails to meet even the most basic needs of 45% of the people of earth? Do you worry that climate change has advanced so far that we are undermining the planet’s capacity to provide the resources and process the wastes on which life depends? Are you troubled that anti-democratic forces seem to be on the rise, with explosions of political violence and insurgent racism?

"Rethinking Capitalism" Two-Day Course

The Center for the Advancement of Public Action (CAPA) at Bennington College is pleased to invite members of the community to examine these questions during a two-day class called “Rethinking Capitalism.” The module will be held from 9:30 am–5:30 pm on Saturday, October 7 and Sunday, October 8, 2023, at CAPA Symposium and will examine every-day economic myths that regularly stand in the way of making important or necessary investments in people and policies. Those interested in attending should register here in advance. There is no charge and refreshments and a lunch break will be provided.

This intensive weekend module begins by questioning the prevailing economic systems and the theories and policies that support them. It introduces two modern branches of economic thought, Modern Monetary Theory and Ecological Economics, which are beginning to provide an alternative and hopeful way of transforming global crises.

The weekend exploration will be led by visiting Australian economist Dr. Steven Hail, the author of Economics of Sustainable Prosperity. Hail is one of Australia’s leading heterodox economists, who blends the imperatives of dealing with climate change and inequality with the insights of modern monetary theory, especially those that suggest that governments have the substantial fiscal space to finance the transitions to sustainable prosperity.

Hail was educated at the London School of Economics, where he received his BSc and MSc. He was the 2016 recipient of the Vice Chancellor’s Medal for Doctoral Thesis Excellence at Flinders University. In 2021, Hail left his appointment in the School of Economics at University of Adelaide to create a groundbreaking graduate program in Sustainable Economics at a think tank, The Modern Money Lab, in collaboration with Torrens University in Australia.

The course uses a combination of short presentations and videos by Hail as well as large- and small-group discussions. No preparation or special knowledge is required or expected. The module is accessible to anyone who is concerned about the challenges of caring for people, the economy, and the planet. Participants should register here in advance.