Art by Raven Jiang for Henry Luce Foundation

Aaron Tanaka, CEO of One Project and founder of the Center for Economic Democracy, joins Sean Buffington on this episode of Luce Change to make the case that America’s political crisis is, at its root, an economic one. When the majority of people have no real agency over the decisions that shape their lives, democracy becomes a ritual rather than a reality. 

Tanaka traces this failure from the founding contradictions of the country through the bipartisan embrace of neoliberalism, and argues that the antidote isn’t better messaging—it’s restructuring who controls land, labor, and capital.

Listen to Luce Change wherever you get podcasts!

Articles & Organizations Mentioned:

One Project: https://www.one.org

Center for Economic Democracy: https://www.economicdemocracy.us

Boston Ujima Project: https://www.ujimaboston.com

Dudley Street Neighborhood Initiative: https://www.dsni.org

Right to the City Alliance: https://righttothecity.org

City Life / Vida Urbana: https://www.clvu.org

Climate Justice Alliance: https://climatejusticealliance.org

Civic Lex: https://www.civiclex.org

Amazon Sacred Headwaters Alliance: https://www.amazonsacredheadwaters.org

Participatory Budgeting Project: https://www.participatorybudgeting.org