Revisiting How Neoliberalism Turned the Work Ethic Against Workers (with Elizabeth Anserson)

Americans have been told that working harder is the path to dignity, security, and success. But what if that promise was hijacked? This week, we’re revisiting our episode with Professor Elizabeth Anderson, where she exposes how neoliberalism weaponized the “work ethic” — transforming a moral tradition that once honored workers into a system that blames them, exploits them, and rewards extraction over contribution. Drawing from her new book Hijacked, Anderson traces how today’s economy punishes labor, glorifies predatory wealth, and rigs the rules against working people — and what it would take to take the work ethic back. Elizabeth Anderson is the Max Mendel Shaye Professor of Public Philosophy, Politics, and Economics at University of Michigan. She is the author of Value in Ethics and Economics, The Imperative of Integration, and Private Government: How Employers Rule Our Lives (and Why We Don't Talk about It). She is a MacArthur Fellow and Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Social Media: @UMPhilosophy Further reading: Hijacked: How Neoliberalism Turned the Work Ethic Against Workers and How Workers Can Take It Back Private Government: How Employers Rule Our Lives (and Why We Don't Talk about It) Website: Facebook: Pitchfork Economics Podcast Bluesky: @pitchforkeconomics.bsky.social Instagram: @pitchforkeconomics Threads: pitchforkeconomics TikTok: @pitchfork_econ YouTube: @pitchforkeconomics LinkedIn: Pitchfork Economics Twitter: @PitchforkEcon, @NickHanauer Substack: ⁠The Pitch⁠

You can listen to Revisiting How Neoliberalism Turned the Work Ethic Against Workers (with Elizabeth Anserson) online on Radio and Podcast. Open the player on this page to stream the available audio.

Revisiting How Neoliberalism Turned the Work Ethic Against Workers (with Elizabeth Anserson) is an episode from Pitchfork Economics with Nick Hanauer by Civic Ventures.

This episode is 46:35 long.

This episode was published on Jan 13, 2026.

Yes. Use the heart button on the episode page to add it to your favorite episodes list.

Yes. This page shows related episodes from Pitchfork Economics with Nick Hanauer when more episodes are available from the podcast feed.