EP10 - Neoliberalism, Food Security and Poverty ft. Utsa Patnaik

Introduction to Political Economy

Has the implementation of market-oriented policies of fiscal austerity and free trade (neoliberalism) led to greater prosperity and a dramatic reduction in poverty over the last thirty years? In many countries, a curious phenomenon can be observed of increased per capita incomes but declining per capita calorie intake or food availability. Are people eating less despite earning more? Is there something off in the way we talk about and measure poverty?

I'm joined by Dr. Utsa Patnaik, a key contributor to the debate on poverty in India and co-author of A Theory of Imperialism, to discuss these questions.

Music by Zobu.