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How Will Capitalism End?: Essays on a…
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How Will Capitalism End?: Essays on a Failing System (edition 2016)

by Wolfgang Streeck (Author)

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2643100,067 (3.35)4
If I am honest, I'm not at all sure that this book answers the question which it raises. That being so, isn't it rather rash for me to give it a five star review? I don't think so and, I hope, that the following will explain why.

This book is a collection of Streeck articles which have previously found an audience in the media. This has the advantage that, unlike many books upon a subject such as Capitalism, it does not presume a deep understanding from the reader. That being said, I do not profess to have understood every single idea presented; sufficient, however, made sense that the time taken (and it did take me a considerable time to read a mere 250 pages) was, I consider, well spent.

If you are looking for a good Marxist attack upon Capitalism, I suggest that you move on now: this is far more subtle. It begins with an eminently readable explanation as to how Capitalism has come to its current form - and indeed, a clear insight as to what that current state is. Events such as the fight against inflation through the '70's, public debt in the '80's, deregulation in the '90's and the bank bailouts of the noughties all become an understandable, almost inevitable, chain.

Streeck then goes on to link democracy and capitalism in an eternal love/hate relationship. He argues, persuasively, that each is necessary to the other for its inception and continued development but, that each has the intention of limiting the other. Capitalism is certainly on the upstroke at the moment but if, as seems more likely than previously, it proves to be victorious; that victory will be pyrrhic.

So, whilst a date for the death of Capitalism is not to be found, the symptoms currently affecting it are closely examined and reasonable doubt cast upon its ability to regenerate in a Whovian fashion. ( )
  the.ken.petersen | Feb 20, 2017 |
Showing 2 of 2
Incoherent rant. Keeps repeating itself ad nauseum. Makes exactly zero falsifiable predictions. ( )
  Paul_S | Dec 23, 2020 |
If I am honest, I'm not at all sure that this book answers the question which it raises. That being so, isn't it rather rash for me to give it a five star review? I don't think so and, I hope, that the following will explain why.

This book is a collection of Streeck articles which have previously found an audience in the media. This has the advantage that, unlike many books upon a subject such as Capitalism, it does not presume a deep understanding from the reader. That being said, I do not profess to have understood every single idea presented; sufficient, however, made sense that the time taken (and it did take me a considerable time to read a mere 250 pages) was, I consider, well spent.

If you are looking for a good Marxist attack upon Capitalism, I suggest that you move on now: this is far more subtle. It begins with an eminently readable explanation as to how Capitalism has come to its current form - and indeed, a clear insight as to what that current state is. Events such as the fight against inflation through the '70's, public debt in the '80's, deregulation in the '90's and the bank bailouts of the noughties all become an understandable, almost inevitable, chain.

Streeck then goes on to link democracy and capitalism in an eternal love/hate relationship. He argues, persuasively, that each is necessary to the other for its inception and continued development but, that each has the intention of limiting the other. Capitalism is certainly on the upstroke at the moment but if, as seems more likely than previously, it proves to be victorious; that victory will be pyrrhic.

So, whilst a date for the death of Capitalism is not to be found, the symptoms currently affecting it are closely examined and reasonable doubt cast upon its ability to regenerate in a Whovian fashion. ( )
  the.ken.petersen | Feb 20, 2017 |
Showing 2 of 2

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