Yanis Varoufakis discusses democracy and markets in Guardian podcast
Former Greek finance minister Yanis Varoufakis is the guest in the first episode of the Guardian’s new Radical Thinking podcast series. Senior economics commentator Aditya Chakrabortty speaks with Varoufakis about who holds power between people and markets, as well as his experience during the eurozone crisis and confrontations over proposed reforms.
Yanis Varoufakis, the former Greek finance minister, appears in the first episode of Radical Thinking, a new podcast series from the Guardian. The episode is hosted by Aditya Chakrabortty, the publication’s senior economics commentator.
The discussion examines the relationship between democratic decision-making and markets. Its framing asks who is really in charge: the people or the markets. The episode’s title presents Varoufakis’s view that “there’s no such thing as democracy.”
Varoufakis also discusses his experience during the eurozone crisis, when he went head to head with people who wanted to stop his reforms, according to the programme description. The available source does not provide further details about the reforms, the individuals involved or the outcome of those confrontations.
The Guardian has made the episode available as part of the Radical Thinking series and directs audiences to watch it. The source identifies the episode as published on 3 October 2026 but does not provide information about additional guests, future episodes or the podcast’s release schedule.
THE QUESTIONS THIS EVENT LEAVES BEHIND
What conditions led Varoufakis to conclude that democracy does not exist?
How did the markets involved in the eurozone crisis exercise influence over elected governments?
Which reforms were opposed, and whose interests would they have affected?
What alternatives to market power does the discussion propose?
How might the balance between voters and markets change during a future financial crisis?
YOUR QUESTION
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GLOBAL CURIOSITY MAP · SEPTEMBER 2026