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Mike Beggs

@mikejbeggs.bsky.social

Political economy, history of Australian capitalism (esp. macroeconomic policy), history of monetary theory, unions, socialism, dad jokes, some other stuff

122 Posts3893 Follower732 Folgt
Ben Burgis@benburgis.bsky.social · 4d ago

Atlanta friends! Come out day after tomorrow--so, Sunday, October 11th, at 4 PM--to see me and @mattpolprof.bsky.social chat about my (and @mikejbeggs.bsky.social and @sunraysunray.bsky.social's!) new book "The Blueprint: How Socialism Can Work in the Real World" at A Cappella Books.

Ben Burgis in conversation with Matt McManus – The Blueprint | Sunday, Oct 11, 2026 4:00 PM

“Nothing is more urgently needed in our troubled world than a blueprint for socializing capital, democratizing workplaces, restoring the commons, decommodifying basic goods and harnessing markets to s...

acappellabooks.com

Ben Burgis@benburgis.bsky.social · last wk.

@sunraysunray.bsky.social, @mikejbeggs.bsky.social, and I are in @jacobinmag.bsky.social today with an essay adapted from the first chapter of The Blueprint, explaining why opposition to capitalism has to come attached to serious answers to concerns about the economic viability of transcending it.

Being Against Capitalism Isn’t Enough

Socialists need more than a critique of capitalism. We need a concrete account of how a socialist economy could work — and make ordinary people’s lives better.

jacobin.com

Verso Books@versobooks.bsky.social · 2w ago

Out today! The Blueprint: How Socialism Can Work in the Real World by @sunraysunray.bsky.social, @benburgis.bsky.social and @mikejbeggs.bsky.social "This is a book to 'pry open our imaginations and put the biggest questions of politics back on the table.'" -- @davidharvey.org

The Blueprint

Capitalism isn’t working. But is there a plausible alternative? The Blueprint lays one out: a system where workers control every lever of production, and competitive markets and state planning coexist...

versobooks.com

Mike Beggs@mikejbeggs.bsky.social · 3w ago

The whole issue 'Australia in the Fraser Years' is now live and full of good stuff. Owen Bennett's paper "The Australian Union Movement and the Politics of Full Employment, 1945–1976" makes for a nice complement to mine on monetarism and arbitration. Thanks to editor @joshuablackjb.bsky.social

Special Issue: Australia in the Fraser Years: Australian Journal of Politics & History: Vol 72, No 3

Click on the title to browse this issue

onlinelibrary.wiley.com

Mike Beggs@mikejbeggs.bsky.social · 3mo ago

I have a new paper out in the Australian Journal of Politics and History: “Monetary Targeting, Wages and Inflation in 1970s Australia: Always and Everywhere a Distributional Phenomenon?” doi.org/10.1111/ajph...

“Mr Whitlam showed himself to be a clever debater. He was asked by a member of the opposition whether he had read the comments that I had been making about inflation being caused by money and government expenditures, and whether he was still inclined to believe that the major source of inflation had been the rising wage rates; and if it was the latter, whether he had gotten in touch with Robert Hawke (the president of the Australian Council of Trade Unions). Mr Whitlam's answer was that the questioner had referred to two eminent authorities, that he thought the second of the two was rather more familiar with this particular situation in Australia than the first, and that therefore he was inclined to accept his views.” - Milton Friedman, reflecting on his 1975 visit to Australia.
alex williams@atwilliams.bsky.social · 3mo ago

at Common Wealth, we also propose three policies for this situation: 1. Public Investment Authority 2. Federal Grid Authority 3. Public Universal Health Care www.forcesofproduction.com/p/the-produc...

The Productive State

On Governing The Supply Side

forcesofproduction.com

Daniel Drezner@dandrezner.bsky.social · 3mo ago

Klein asks Allen what liberals should prioritize if they win the trifecta in 2028. Allen suggests the following: 1) Putting an end to Citizens United; 2) Creation of national service; 3) Ending gerrymandering

Jo Michell@jomichell.bsky.social · 3mo ago

Some thoughts on the potential direction of travel for Andy Burnham's political economy. The interesting ideas on the left relate to with the supply side -- ownership, control and distribution -- and offer scope for action. The macro constraints still bind however. blogs.lse.ac.uk/politicsandp...

Will Andy Burnham’s political economy be any different? | LSE British Politics

Andy Burnham is about to become Prime Minister having signaled he wants to break with the political economy of the past 40 years. At the same time, he has committed to sticking with Rachel Reeves' fis...

blogs.lse.ac.uk

Gabriel Winant@gabrielwinant.bsky.social · 3mo ago

OK I decided to test-run this ultra-elaborate labor history simulation if I can recruit enough people. It's for sickos. 8/28-30, all virtual (some synchronous). Based on Durban mass strike of 1973, demanding of time within that window. Below are intro doc and intake questionnaire if you want to join

Jo Michell@jomichell.bsky.social · 10mo ago

In response to the reappearance of MMT, I have, somewhat reluctantly, written up where the current crop of 'pop MMT' goes wrong. The short version: yes the central bank issues money; no this doesn't change anything. criticalfinance.org/2025/12/19/w...

What’s wrong with MMT?

As Marc Lavoie and John Quiggin have noted, there are ‘two MMTs’. Scholars such as Randy Wray, Eric Tymoigne and Scott Fulwiler have contributed to debates on monetary economics, instit…

criticalfinance.org