A diverse group of global thinkers answers 8 fundamental questions about economics and capitalism. In this video interview, Yanis Varoufakis has a go:

0:00 – Prologue

01:19 – Intro

01:38 – 1. Why does economics matter?

03:00 – 2. What are the differences between economic science and economic engineering? 09:46 – 3. What role does economics play in society? Does it serve the common good?

15:21 – 4. Economics provides answers to problems related to markets, efficiency, profits, consumption and economic growth. Does economics do a good job in addressing the other issues people care about: climate change and the wider environment, the role of technology in society, issues of race and class, pandemics, etc.?

27:50 – 5. As we live in an age of economics and economists – in which economic developments feature prominently in our lives and economists have major influence over a wide range of policy and people – should economists be held accountable for their advice?

45:47 – 6. Does economics explain Capitalism? How would you define Capitalism?

54:52 – 7. No human system to date has so far been able to endure indefinitely – not ancient Egypt or Rome, not Feudal China or Europe, not the USSR. What about global Capitalism: can it survive in its current form?

01:02:26 – 8. Is Capitalism, or whatever we should call the current system, the best one to serve the needs of humanity, or can we imagine another one?