In his boldest and most far-reaching book yet, world-famous economist Yanis Varoufakis argues that capitalism is dead and a new economic era has begun.

Yanis Varoukais will be in conversation with Greg Jericho, chief economist for the Australia Institute and Centre for Future Work, and Emma Shortis, Senior Researcher in the Australia Institute’s International & Security Affairs Program.

Insane sums of money that were supposed to re-float our economies in the wake of the financial crisis and the pandemic have ended up supercharging big tech’s hold over every aspect of the economy. Capitalism’s twin pillars – markets and profit – have been replaced with big tech’s platforms and rents. Meanwhile, with every click and scroll, we labour like serfs to increase its power.

Welcome to technofeudalism.

Drawing on stories from Greek Myth and pop culture, from Homer to Mad Men, Varoufakis explains this revolutionary transformation: how it enslaves our minds, how it rewrites the rules of global power and ultimately what it will take overthrow it.

About Yanis Varoufakis
Yanis Varoufakis is an economist, political leader and the author of numerous bestselling books: Talking to My Daughter: A Brief History of Capitalism; Adults in the Room, a memoir of his time as finance minister of Greece; an economic history of Europe, And The Weak Suffer What They Must?; andAnother Now: Dispatches from An Alternative Present. Born in Athens in 1961, he was for many years a professor of economics in Britain, Australia and the USA before he entered politics. He is co-founder of the international grassroots movement DiEM25 and a Professor of Economics at the University of Athens.

Emma Shortis
Dr Emma Shortis is a historian and writer, focused on the history and politics of the United States and its role in the world. She uses her expertise in history to interpret and explain what is happening in the world today, and what it means for Australia. Emma’s first book, Our Exceptional Friend: Australia’s Fatal Alliance with the United States, was published by Hardie Grant in 2021. She writes regularly for Australian and international outlets, and appears regularly on Australian radio and television.

Greg Jericho
Dr Greg Jericho is the Chief Economist at the Australia Institute and the Centre for Future Work. He holds an Honours Degree in Economics from Flinders University. Greg also writes a weekly column on economics and politics for Guardian Australia – a position he has held since 2013. In 2016 he won the Walkley Award for Commentary, Analysis, Opinion & Critique, and in 2018 he was a Walkley Award finalist with Gareth Hutchens for their report on the crisis of wages in Australia in the Best Industrial Reporting category.

About the Australia Institute: Celebrating 30 Years of Big Ideas

In 2024 the Australia Institute is celebrating its 30th anniversary as Australia’s leading independent think tank.

For 30 years the Australia Institute’s independent, non-partisan research has led the national policy debate. From our groundbreaking 1997 paper on better measuring wellbeing in Australia, The Genuine Progress Indicator, to the influential 2005 book Affluenza and then Curing Affluenza, to our cutting-edge research exposing the role of corporate profits in driving Australia’s inflation in the aftermath of the pandemic, to our work for fairer tax reforms like reshaping the Stage 3 tax cuts to make them better and fairer—the Australia Institute plays a critical role in shaping the national economic debate for a fairer society and economy.