Upstream

Liz Zeidler is the Co-founder and Director of Happy City, an organization in Bristol, UK which is about giving people more of what we all want, but that our current economic system fails to give us: happiness. We interviewed her for part 3 of our 3-part series "Welcome to Frome".

Peter Macfadyen is the radical council member and previous Mayor of Frome. He is also the author of Flatpack Democracy, a DIY guide to creating independent politics. We interviewed him for our 3-part series "Welcome to Frome". Parts of this interview are featured in the series.

Richard Wilkinson and Kate Pickett are the authors of the book The Spirit Level: Why More Equal Societies Almost Always Do Better. The Spirit Level not only changed the way we understand and view inequality, it inspired the creation of The Equality Trust, an organization that works to improve the quality of life in the UK by reducing economic inequality. We interviewed them for our 3-part series "Welcome to Frome". Parts of this interview are featured in the series.

In this final episode of our 3-part series, "Welcome to Frome", we explore possible futures for the small Somerset town of Frome. ​ In this episode, we'll talk to some of the leading experts on why GDP and economic growth are flawed measures of wellbeing. Then we’ll travel to a small kingdom in south Asia, an indigenous village in the sierras of Peru, and the headquarters of Happy City in Bristol. We'll talk to the visionaries of new cultural paradigms. and ask them to reveal the secrets of happiness and wellbeing that are hidden right beneath our noses. How can Frome adopt a wellbeing strategy that helps to further the movements we discussed in episode 1 and which begins to bridge the divides we explored in episode 2? There's no simple solution, but we hope that this series will provide some food for thought in towns and cities like Frome all over the world. Featuring: Ha Vinh Tho PhD - Program Development Coordinator of GNH Centre in BHutan Martin Whitlock - Businessman, author, Co-Founder of StopGDP.org In

In this second episode of our 3-part series, "Welcome to Frome", we explore the darker history of the small Somerset town of Frome.  ​ In this episode, you'll meet more Frome residents, more politicians, local historians, experts in the field of inequality, and a filmmaker. We'll tackle some timely topics and ask some difficult questions. What are the scars left from thirty years of closing factories and cutting government services? How do these scars reveal themselves in our hearts and in our communities? Is it possible to bridge the economic, social, and psychological divides that carve up our societies? If it's possible, then how do we do it? Featuring: Des Cornish - Born and raised in Frome John Payne - Local historian and author Annabelle Macfadyen - Co-organizer, Home in Frome Bob Ashford - Chair of Trustees, Fair Frome Sam Phripp - Somerset District Councilor Richard Seymour - Marxist writer, broadcaster, and activist Joseph Choonara - Spokesperson, Socialist Workers Party Richard Wilkinson - Co-author

In this first episode of our 3-part series, "Welcome to Frome", we explore how the small Somerset town of Frome started a revolution that has completely changed the nature of politics and economics. In this episode, you'll meet the head of this radical new movement, and visit some of the new economics initiatives that have emerged in Frome. What is a "Share Shop?" How about a community fridge? What happens when a town council creates a position designed to address climate change? Listen to find out and to enjoy some great music along the way. But the story of Frome, like most things in life, is not as simple as it may appear. This town has a long and at times dark history, and when parts of that history are uncovered, old wounds are revealed which tell a different story, a story of division. We'll touch on this history here before we dive much deeper into it in Episode 2. Featuring: Peter Macfadyen - Founder of Flatpack Democracy, Frome town councilor, former Mayor Helen Johnstone - A manager at Share Shop An

Crisis Theory is a new video game developed by David Cribb. In this game, you play as the spirit of capitalism. Your one job is to keep the game from falling into crisis for as long as possible. Is it possible? We spoke with David to find out. Crisis Theory was inspired by Marxist geographer David Harvey's lecture series on Capital. It uses concepts like labor power, means of production, primitive accumulation, rate of profit, etc, etc, to help explain Marx's theory of capitalism. It's a great way to learn about Marxist theory -and it's actually quite fun to play. Check it out for yourself here: https://colestia.itch.io/crisis-theory

Wetiko is an Algonquin word for a cannibalistic spirit or thought-form driven by greed, excess and selfish consumption. It deludes its host into believing that consuming the life force of others for self-aggrandizement or profit is a logical and morally upright way to live. In this Sneak Peak, we spoke with Martin Kirk, Founder of The Rules, who explains the concept of Wetiko and how it relates to our late-capitalist era. He also explains how Donald Trump is a human embodiment of Wetiko. Martin will be featured in our upcoming documentary series due for release in early September. Stay tuned for that at upstreampodcast.org. Artwork by Paweł Kuczyński www.upstreampodcast.org Twitter: @upstreampodcast Facebook: /upstreampodcast Instragram: upstreampodcast

"The mirror of democracy is cracked and warped and people no longer recognize their reflection in it." Where should the Bernie Movement go after the campaign is over? Why would a vote for Hillary be a vote for more Trumpism? Richard Seymour explains it all. (And more) For the full interview, visit our website: http://www.upstreampodcast.org

Inequality reduced dramatically from around the 1930s to the 1980s, when it suddenly started rising again to levels not seen for almost a hundred years. What happened? Richard Wilkinson and Kate Picket, authors of the influential book The Spirit Level, explain what happened and how worker-owned cooperatives can serve as a countervailing force to neoliberalism.

In this interview we hear from Socialist Worker's Party member & Lexit Campaign Spokesperson Joseph Choonara. We spoke about the movement on the radical Left that pushed successfully for Britain to leave the European Union. We also spoke about the larger split between the movements on Left, the abandonment of the working class by Labour, the anti-immigrant nature of the EU, and how we can start to work more effectively across class divides to build a stronger, more viable Left. 

"Neoliberalism has become embedded in the very DNA of the European Union." It was not just the Right in the UK that voted to leave the EU. Listen to our interview with Joseph Choonara of the Social Worker's Party to hear why some factions of the radical Left in Britain decided that they've had enough of the European Union.

In this interview we hear from activist and writer Richard Seymour. We spoke about the Orlando shootings, Brexit, Corbyn & the Labour Party, Trump, the decline of unions, and where the Bernie Sanders movement can go now that the nomination seems assured for Hillary Clinton. Intermission music by Witchdream Mansion. 

Brexit? This Thursday Great Britain is poised to vote on whether or not to leave the European Union. The decisions and politics driving this referendum are complex, important, and might surprise you. London-based writer, activist, and broadcaster Richard Seymour gives us the lay of the terrain. Our full interview with Richard will be available soon at our website: http://www.economicsfortransition.org

In this Upstream Sneak Peak, Yianni Litovchenko of Alternative Tours of Athens tells us the story of the famous Greek riot dog Loukankios (or "Sausage").

In this Upstream Sneak Peak, we spoke with Greek activist and co-initiator of The Art of Hosting Maria Scordialos. She will be featured in our upcoming episode on the Solidarity movement and financial crisis in Greece.

Katharine Round is the director of the documentary film The Divide, which is based off of the book The Spirit Level. The Divide tells the story of 7 individuals striving for a better life in the modern day US and UK - where the top 0.1% owns as much wealth as the bottom 90%. We spoke with her about making the film, how inequality makes everyone less better off, and what we can do about it. Intermission music by The Microphones.

In this interview we spoke with Martin Whitlock, co-founder of Stop-GDP.org and author of Human Politics : Human Value: Towards a society for people as we really are (not as governments, economists and big corporations would like us to be). We spoke about how GDP is a scam and how the money economy is a terrible idea. Intermission music by Tapes & Topographies.

Sarah Corbett is a craft-activist, or "craftivist". She is the founder of Craftivist-Collective, and has worked as a campaigner for NGOs like Oxfam and Christian Aid. Sarah takes a very unique and thoughtful approach to activism. We talked about the intersection between activism and craft-making, how activism can be slow, gentle, and kind, and about the surprising story behind why she made a handkerchief for her Member of Parliament.

Angela Miles is a professor at the University of Toronto, member of International Feminists for a Gift Economy, and author of the books Integrative Feminism and Women in a Globalizing World: Transforming Equality, Development, Diversity, and Peace. We spoke about gender, the importance of gift economies, the commodification of everything, marx and alienation, integrative feminism, and how the best way to get a high is to help somebody. Intermission music by The Wild Reeds.