Gavin Benke on Enron and the Neoliberal Era

Frauds. Grifts. Swindles. Scams. These are hardly new things when it comes to the history of capitalism. But that doesn’t mean they each one don't reflect its specific era of capitalism. Instead they both shape and are shaped by their unique historical moments.

On today’s show, we speak to Gavin Benke about Enron—the energy company that collapsed in 2001 amidst a massive fraud. What does the story of Enron reveal about neoliberalism? Was it a warning of the systemic risk that rocked the world economy in 2008? We talk to Gavin about all this and more.

Gavin Benke teaches in the writing program at Boston University and is author of Risk and Ruin Enron and the Culture of American Capitalism.