Many Americans envision capitalism as a driving ideal of our country, but some economists contend that a few digital monopolies have risen to restrict our nation’s capitalist ideals and act as gatekeepers to the free market. Economist author Jonathan Tepper and Business Development manager Denise Hearn take Town Hall’s stage to tackle issues of growing economic inequality. They present perspectives from their book The Myth of Capitalism: Monopolies and the Death of Competition, asserting that the U.S. has gone from an open, competitive marketplace to an economy where a few very powerful companies dominate key industries that affect our daily lives. Tepper and Hearn are joined by panelists: Nick Hanauer, co-founder and partner in venture capital firm Second Avenue Partners; John Perkins, Chief Economist as a major international consulting firm and adviser to World Bank, the United Nations, the U.S. Treasury Department; and Rachel Lauter, executive director of Working Washington and the Fair Work Center.

Together they discuss solutions, suggesting vigorous anti-trust enforcement to return America to a period where competition created higher economic growth, more jobs, higher wages and a level playing field for all. Sit in for an essential conversation on all things capitalism in America—from anemic economic growth to declining start-up success rates—and why workers are losing out.

Presented by Town Hall Seattle and The Collective.

Community partners: Faith Action Network, Impact Hub, Fair Work Center, Puget Sound Sage