Capitalism’s Morbid Symptoms: War, AI and the Crisis of the West | Prof. Radhika Desai

The liberal capitalist class is in panic — and for a good reason. Their reign of terror is finally coming to a close. Not only because of the emergence of the formerly colonized Global South but also because the capitalists have so thoroughly hollowed out their own nation states that collapse is all but inevitable. Professor Radhika Desai joins Pascal to examine elections, imperial power and the deepening crisis of neoliberal capitalism. They discuss Brazil, Israeli politics, the Israel lobby debate and the relationship between class interests and national strategy. Desai argues that financialization, inequality, repression and speculative AI investment reveal systemic decay. The conversation also considers youth protests, European rearmament, the postwar social compromise and China’s contrasting development model, asking how economies could prioritize ordinary people’s welfare and sustainable prosperity over private profit.Radhika's Links:YouTube — Radhika Desai, Geopolitical Economist: / @raddesai Substack: https://radicaldesai.substack.comPatreon: / radhikadesai Neutrality Studies Links:Neutrality Studies Substack: https://pascallottaz.substack.comSupport Neutrality Studies: https://neutralitystudies.com/donateNeutrality Studies shop: https://neutralitystudies.com/shopTime Stamps00:00 Brazil’s election and the Latin American left07:47 Israeli elections and Netanyahu’s wars11:48 The Israel lobby and US imperial interests17:18 Class, nation and geopolitical economy25:22 How neoliberalism dismantled the postwar compromise31:29 Financialization and the AI bubble37:05 Youth protests, repression and European rearmament45:23 Capitalism’s crisis and China’s alternative