Macro N Cheese
Macro N Cheese
Steven D Grumbine
Ep 376 - Modern Monetary Theory & the Question of Democracy with Jim Byrne
1 hour 2 minutes Posted Apr 18, 2026 at 11:30 am.
The Importance of Understanding Democracy
Understanding Modern Monetary Theory (MMT)
Understanding Money and Resources
The Influence of Neoliberalism on Public Services
The Crisis of Democracy and Alternatives
The Need for Democratic Change
The Struggle for Democracy and Class Consciousness
The Political Landscape of Independence
The Power of Music and Culture in Politics
The Impact of MMT on Politics and Society
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** Questions about MMT? Thoughts about the episode? Come to our online gathering, Macro ‘n Chill. Tuesday, April 21, 8pm ET/5pm PT. Use this link to register: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/RkspaP0RSNajdc69bqUmkA

Jim Byrne of MMT101 is back for a conversation that moves beyond the technical mechanics of Modern Monetary Theory to ask the tough questions. While affirming MMT’s core insight that a currency-issuing government doesn’t face financial constraint, only real resource limits, they argue that this knowledge is politically neutered by the structures of capitalism.

Jim lays out a clear, accessible primer on how money actually works and breaks down the scarcity myth. But the real question isn’t can governments act, it’s who they serve when they do.

Looking at the failure of bourgeois democracy, they talk about cultural hegemony and neoliberal ideology as well as class struggle vs. gradualism. The discussion touches on Scotland as a colony of Westminster and the limits of referendums under an imperial state structure.

Ultimately, this is a dialogue that pushes beyond MMT’s insights and asks whether those tools can mean anything without a rupture in the underlying political and economic order.

Jim Byrne has developed an MMT foundation course aimed at beginners and intermediate learners as well as people who already know about economics but are curious about Modern Monetary Theory.

Follow his work and the MMT101 podcast at mmt101.substack.com

@MMT101DotORG on X