Youngstown, Ohio, was the birthplace of Richard D. Wolff in 1942, the son of German immigrants who fled the Nazi regime. This formative background instilled in him an early conviction that navigating unstable global environments required an urgent, comprehensive grasp of the political and economic structures shaping modern life.
Academic Formation
Wolff completed his undergraduate studies at Harvard College in 1963, graduating magna cum laude in history. His transition into economics occurred at Stanford University, where he studied under Paul A. Baran, obtaining a master's degree in 1964. Following Baran's death, he moved to Yale University. There, he earned a second master's degree in economics in 1966, a history degree in 1967, and completed his Doctor of Philosophy in economics in 1969. His dissertation focused on the economic dimensions of British colonialism in Kenya.
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In 1969, Wolff began his teaching career at the City College of New York. By 1973, he joined the economics department at the University of Massachusetts Amherst alongside colleagues such as Stephen Resnick, Samuel Bowles, and Herbert Gintis. He achieved the rank of full professor in 1981 and held the position until his retirement in 2008, when he became professor emeritus. His scholarship, particularly his collaboration with Resnick, emphasizes Marxian class theory, surplus labor dynamics, and a departure from the mathematical methodology prevalent in mainstream neoclassical economics.
Media and Advocacy
Wolff co-founded the journal Rethinking Marxism in 1988. He later established the non-profit organization Democracy at Work, which promotes the concept of workplace democracy. Through this entity, he produces Economic Update, a weekly program available via YouTube, Free Speech TV, CUNY TV, and various radio outlets, including Pacifica Radio stations. His published works include the 2012 titles Occupy the Economy, Contending Economic Theories, and Democracy at Work, followed by his 2019 book Understanding Marxism.
Fast facts
- Born: 1942, Youngstown, United States
- Education: Harvard University, Stanford University, Yale University
- Degree: Doctor of Philosophy in Economics
- Field: Marxian economics
- Professional Role: Professor emeritus, University of Massachusetts Amherst
- Language proficiency: English, German, French
- Media: Host of Economic Update
- Organization: Co-founder of Democracy at Work
Questions readers ask
What is Richard D. Wolff's academic background?
He holds a Ph.D. in economics from Yale University and earned degrees from Harvard and Stanford.
What are his primary areas of study?
Wolff specializes in Marxian economics, political economy, and economic methodology.
Where has he taught?
He is professor emeritus at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and has taught at Yale, The New School, and Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne University.
Achievements
- Affiliated with University of Massachusetts Amherst
- Educated at Harvard University, Stanford University and Yale University
- Worked as economist and university teacher
