Capitalism

“Fred L. Block is one of America’s most important political theorists. His work transcends the usual division between liberals and conservatives. In this book, he shows that capitalism, far from being the immutable system that the left wants to demolish and that the center and right think must be coddled, is a human creation that depends on constant intervention and is malleable and reformable. I recommend this book to anyone who wants to get beyond the sterile debate taking place in Washington.”— John B. Judis, author of The Populist Explosion: How the Great Recession Transformed American and European Politics
 
“In Capitalism, Block proposes an original kind of intellectual history. He examines the entrenched belief that capitalism is the only possibility and shows how this prevents us from imagining alternatives to the economic arrangements that rule the world. Against an ecologically destructive capitalism and stunted imaginations, Block argues for new ways of inhabiting our planet. Habitation and innovation must be linked, not as enemies but as complements.”—Magali Sarfatti Larson, author of The Rise of Professionalism: A Sociological Analysis
 
“In lucid and lively prose, Block examines how the belief that our economy is ’capitalist’ limits our collective capacity to construct alternative economic institutions. Taking aim at both left and right versions of economic determinism, Block suggests that the possibilities for building an economy that better serves human needs are in fact much less constrained than we typically imagine. While not everyone will agree that we can or should dispense with the concept of capitalism, no serious student of political economy can avoid grappling with Block’s important and timely provocation.”—Greta Krippner, author of Capitalizing on Crisis: The Political Origins of the Rise of Finance