Despite the stock market reaching record highs, more and more people’s lived experience of the economy continues to get worse – more stress, higher costs, and a middle class lifestyle that feels increasingly out of reach.
Meanwhile, more than half the world’s population lives on less than $5.50 per day – all while the global economy pushes up against the ecological limits of our planet, increasing the odds of climate collapse.
My latest podcast guest says the solutions are actually quite simple: Stop pandering to the “frivolous desires of the ultra-rich,” and instead, build a new economic agenda focused on delivering human rights instead of endless growth.
Olivier De Schutter just finished his tenure as the UN Special Rapporteur on Extreme Poverty and Human Rights. We recorded this conversation at the Wellbeing Economy Forum in Iceland – and it’s one of the most comprehensive conversations I’ve had, not only on what’s wrong with the global economic system, but what an actual alternative policy platform looks like.
Olivier argues that the economy isn’t broken: it’s functioning exactly as designed, built to serve the ultra-rich while relegating a growing population to the margins of society. We get into how economic growth has accelerated modern poverty, how international debt locks the Global South into extractive growth, what economic democracy would actually look like in practice, and how going “beyond growth” unlocks solutions that can deliver true abundance and wellbeing.
This interview comes at the end of Olivier’s work as UN Special Rapporteur – wrapping up two three-year terms – and culminating in the release of his new report, Eradicating Poverty Beyond Growth. This comprehensive roadmap provides policymakers with a catalogue of concrete measures to shift our economy away from profit-at-all-costs and towards fulfilling human rights. To this end, this is the most detailed policy platform I’ve ever seen.
I’m deeply grateful for Olivier’s work and the opportunity to interview him at this key moment in his career. I’m sure he’ll continue to do important work to improve lives around the world, so keep your eye on his new organization (New Economies for Eradicating Poverty) and follow him on Instagram, LinkedIn and X.
Finally, a note for our paid subscribers: We just launched our subscriber chat, where we’ll be giving you a head’s up about who I’m interviewing next – and giving you a chance to suggest questions for me to ask. We’re excited to use this new space to get you even closer to these conversations. Thank you for your critical support getting this new media project off the ground.
As always, stay curious, stay hopeful. See you soon.
- Michael
Better Future covers the ideas and movements helping steer the world toward a more just & sustainable future. If you believe we need clearer thinking and more inspiration for how to make this vision a reality, please become a paid subscriber. Your support will go directly towards producing more conversations like this one.
