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Capitalism is the Crisis

A four-part radio documentary about the destructive record of capitalism and the current disasters it has fomented.

The series can be downloaded and heard here

Written by Asad Ismi

Produced by Kristin Schwartz

Narrated by both

Thanks to Chandra Siddan, Omar Faruque and Kevin Shaw.

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For the last five centuries the Western capitalist system has been subjecting most of the world’s people to a permanent crisis of endless war, massive poverty, environmental degradation and economic instability. Capitalism has been built through slavery, imperialism, colonialism and neocolonialism. More than a billion people have been killed by capitalism making it the greatest crime committed against humanity.

Lately the crisis generated by capitalism has moved into the centres of Western power—North America and Europe.

Episodes: (close to 30 minutes each)


1. “Capitalism is War”: Capitalism has inflicted war on most of humanity for the last 500 years. This episode focuses on the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars and shows how both stem from the needs of capitalism for resources and markets. With Yanar Mohammed, Malalai Joya and Michael Skinner.

2. “Capitalism is Poverty”: Capitalism has made 80% of the world`s people poor, most of whom live in the Global South. This episodes shows how India specifically has been massively impoverished by capitalism. With Dr. Vandana Shiva And Rajagopal PV.

3. “Capitalism is Environmental Destruction”: Through the examples of Canada and Bangladesh, this episode shows how capitalism is devastating the global environment. With Lionel Lepine, Clayton Thomas-Muller, Afsan Chowdhury and Naushad Ali Husein.

4. “Capitalism is the Crisis. What Are the Alternatives?”: Capitalism has led the world into one financial crisis after another. The last episode looks at the financial crisis in the United States and Spain and presents alternatives to capitalism. With Stephen Lendman, Dr. Carles Muntaner, Dr. Vandana Shiva, Yanar Mohammed and Nikos Lountos.

Reviews

1.  “I highly recommend ‘Capitalism is the Crisis’.  This is a thoughtful and informative four- episode series that exposes the consequences of capitalism.  At a time when war, poverty, environmental devastation and global crisis is ever-present, this series is a solid reminder that our relationship with capitalism is forefront.  I especially appreciate the final episode where Schwartz and Ismi highlight a few instances where people are moving beyond capitalist principles, bringing hope and the possibility of change to their audience.”

— Robin Eriksson, Program Director, CKUW 95.9 FM—University of Winnipeg, Winnipeg, MB.

2.  “Researcher and writer Asad Ismi and community journalist Kristin Schwartz have teamed up again, this time producing a timely look at the destructive record of capitalism. ‘Capitalism is the Crisis’ speaks to the historical and contemporary experiences of capitalist exploitation that has resulted in war, poverty, and environmental destruction. More than just a radio documentary, ‘Capitalism is the Crisis’ is an educational tool for communities experiencing financial crisis to better understand the root causes of economic disasters and know that there are alternatives to capitalism.”

– Gretchen King, Community News Coordinator, CKUT Radio 90.3 FM–McGill University, Montreal, QC.

3. ” ‘Capitalism is the Crisis’ is one of the most straightforward critical  analyses of the deleterious nature of capitalism, in recent years. It is a well-produced and extremely well-written radio documentary that should be used as an education tool globally. I highly recommend this documentary to anyone wanting to gain a vastly different  perspective of capitalism—-one that is often suppressed by those who benefit from this economic system’s exploitative nature.”

— Solomon Comissiong, Founder and Executive Director of Your World News Radio (www.yourworldnews.org) , Washington, D.C., U.S.

Funders

Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) (National)
CUPW Local 576 North Bay
Public Service Alliance of Canada
Ontario Secondary School Teachers Federation
Canadian Union of Public Employees–Local 3903
Ed Finn
Readers of the “Canadian Centre For Policy Alternatives Monitor”
Ontario English Catholic Teachers Association
Charles Roach
Ontario Public Interest Research Group-(OPIRG)-Toronto
OPIRG-York University
Don Schmidt
Toronto and York Region Labour Council
Canadian Auto Workers Local 40
Continuing Education Students Association of Ryerson

Radio Stations

Capitalism is the Crisis was broadcast on these 42 radio stations in Canada, the United States and Europe:

United States:

  1. KPFK 90.7 FM–Los Angeles, 98.7 FM–Santa Barbara, 99.5 FM–China Lake and 93.7 FM–North San Diego, California.
  2. KCSB 91.9 FM–University of California, Santa Barbara, California
  3. KDRT 95.7 FM–Davis, California
  4. KIDE 91.3 FM–Hoopa, California–Indigenous Radio
  5. Free Radio Santa Cruz 101.1 FM–Santa Cruz, California
  6. WDFH 90.3 FM–Ossining, New York
  7. WXOJ-LP 103.3 FM–Valley Free Radio, Northampton, Massachusetts,
  8. WERU-FM 89.9–Blue Hill and East Orland, Maine
  9. WPRR 1680 AM and 95.3 FM–Public Reality Radio–Grand Rapids, Michigan
  10. KPFT 90.1 FM–Houston, Texas
  11. KFAI 90.3 FM–Minneapolis and 106.7 FM St. Paul, Minnesota
  12. WCRS 102.1 and 98.3 FM–Columbus, Ohio
  13. KGNU 88.5 FM–Boulder, 1390 AM–Denver, 93.7 FM–Nederland, Colorado
  14. KSVR 91.7 FM–Mt Vernon, Washington
  15. KYRS 92.3 FM–Spokane, Washington
  16. KPOV 106.7 FM–Bend, Oregon
  17. KSKQ 94.9 FM–Ashland, Oregon
  18. KRFP-LP 92.5 FM–Radio Free Moscow, Moscow, Idaho
  19. Boise Community Radio 89.9 FM–Boise, Idaho
  20. KSUA 91.5 FM–University of Alaska, Fairbanks, Alaska
  21. KWMD 104.5 & 87.74 FM-Anchorage, 90.7 FM-Kasilof, 107.9 FM-Mat-Su, Alaska
  22. KRCL 90.9 FM–Salt Lake City, Utah
  23. WRFN-LP 98.9 FM–Radio Free Nashville, Tennessee
  24. KKFI 90.1 FM–Kansas City, Missouri
  25. KZGM 88.1 FM–Cabool, Missouri
  26. MAIN-FM 103.5 LP–Asheville, North Carolina
  27. Journey Radio–www.thejourneyradio.org–St. Louis, Missouri (internet radio)
  28. Radio Phoenix–www.radiophoenix.org–Phoenix, Arizona (internet radio)
  29. Your World News–http://yourworldnews.org—-Washington D.C. (internet radio).
  30. No Lies Radio, California (Internet Radio): http://noliesradio.org/archives/64537

Canada:

  1. CKUT 90.3 FM–McGill University, Montreal, QC
  2. CHRY 105.5 FM–York University, Toronto, ON
  3. CKUW 95.9 FM–University of Winnipeg, Winnipeg, MB
  4. CKDU 88.1 FM — Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS
  5. CFRC 101.9 FM–Queen’s University, Kingston, ON [will broadcast in December]
  6. CFRU 93.3 fm–University of Guelph, Guelph, ON [has agreed to broadcast and is selecting date for this]
  7. CILU 102.7 FM–Lakehead University, Thunder Bay, ON [has agreed to broadcast and is selecting date for this]
  8. CJSF 90.1 FM–Simon Fraser University, Vancouver, BC
  9. CFCR 90.5 FM–Community radio in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan[has agreed to broadcast and is selecting date for this]
  10. Making the Links Radio, Saskatchewan, (Internet Radio) http://www.makingthelinksradio.ca [has agreed to broadcast and is selecting date for this]
  11. CHLY 101.7 FM–Radio Malaspina–Vancouver Island University Radio (Malaspina Campus), Nanaimo, BC

Switzerland:

  1. Radio LoRa 97.5 MHz–Zurich

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