Back to Basics Series: The Velocity of Money (with Ann Pettifor) from Pitchfork Economics with Nick Hanauer

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Back to Basics Series: The Velocity of Money (with Ann Pettifor)

42 minutes Posted Aug 5, 2025 at 5:01 am.

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If you’ve ever wondered why the economy feels stuck, even when it seems like there's a lot more money in the system, this episode will blow your mind.

Political economist Ann Pettifor joins Nick and Goldy to explain why money isn't flowing like it used to, and why that matters. Over the last century, the velocity of money (how quickly a dollar circulates) has plummeted. Today, each dollar in circulation generates up to 70% less economic activity than it did just ten years ago, so it's not being circulated through the local economies, growing wages, and building small businesses with each transaction. Instead, new dollars are just frozen in place.

The culprit? Excess money sitting at the top—hoarded by the wealthy and corporations instead of getting spent.

Pettifor shows that taxing the rich isn’t just fair—it’s pro-growth. Redistribution accelerates the velocity of money, unleashing demand, expanding markets, creating jobs, and ultimately boosting prosperity for everyone. If you’re ready to reclaim the economy from its top-down chokehold, this back-to-basics episode isn’t optional—it’s essential.

Ann Pettifor is a British political economist, author, and Director of Policy Research in Macroeconomics (PRIME). Known for correctly predicting the 2008 financial crisis, her work spans sovereign debt, macroeconomics, and sustainable development. She’s the author of The Production of Money and The Case for the Green New Deal, and directs groundbreaking research that puts money creation and equitable growth at the center of economic policy.

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