Looking for “economic theories” is already buying into their bullshit. The economic theory championed by major political parties and media networks the world over is neoliberalism. You know, trickle down, self-regulation, free market will fix it, that kind of shit.

None of it works and none of it ever did. Maybe, for a brief moment around Thatcher and Reagan, they genuinely thought it might. These days though, they try neoliberalism over and over again because it doesn’t work and they grow richer with every failure. Money didn’t trickle down, they just got a tax break. They didn’t self regulate, they increased their profits by exploiting foreign workers and literal slaves. The free market didn’t fix it, because people were desperately trying to keep their head above water, forcing them to be complicit in the horrors or drown.

You don’t need economic theories. You just need regulations to stop businesses doing unethical, exploitative things. Politicians could solve most of the issues facing us today with the stroke of a pen. It’s not even complicated policy. “Foreign workers pay and working conditions must meet domestic standards. Failure to do so will result in criminal charges”.

You’d see industry return to wealthy countries overnight. Consumers wouldn’t be blamed for multi-billion dollar companies using child slaves. Sure, everything would also become more expensive, but that’s your bosses problem now. They’ve been pocketing your wealth for decades, distracting you with cheap junk, subsidised by the misery of foreign workers.

That’s why the world over, every election has become “red neoliberal” vs “blue neoliberal”. They might pantomime fight over social issues but when it comes to economics, the only disagreement is about whose buddies from school get to be first snout in the trough. Their children are bred for it. The moment a progressive get anywhere near power, watch as these mortal enemies suddenly unite in solidarity to attack them.

Whatever economic theory you find, there will always be greedy sociopaths trying to murder and manipulate their way to the top.