12.17.2023 Update – Review Copies in January 2024

Recently, I added an Introduction that more clearly states the basic themes of the book. I am now in the editing phase of the project. A printing of review copies will take place in January 2024. It would be very helpful to have interested people provide feedback. If you would like to provide feedback at this stage, send me an email, mark(at)markorton.com. I will contact you to make arrangements for you to receive a review copy.

Update 11.1.2023 – Money and Finance Sector

I’ve made good progress on the research and writing for the section of the book on money and the finance sector. However, the role of private equity firms has turned out to be far larger and widespread than I had earlier understood. I’ve also received some useful criticisms and feedback from several readers of drafts of this section.

The chapter on precarity (chronic insecurity) is completed.

The final formatting for the A5 book size is underway. I expect a final draft printing by the beginning of December 2023.

Winter will end….back to work…update 3.7.2023

I’ve been somewhat distracted for the last three months. Family matters have taken up much time and mental focus. These have crowded out most work on the book.

Nevertheless, important progress has been made. I am finally happy with my grasp of the finance sector and financialization processes.

Further, I have come up with some concrete stories to illustrate some of the abstract phenomena that fill much of the book. Stories to put meat on the bones of monopolization, the misapplication of markets, private equity, and more.

So, I am back to work on the writing and editing.

Update 12.8.2022 – Money, Finance, Financialization

I’m working on the last major revision. This is turning out to be more work than I had anticipated. Here are the topics:

  • Money – what is it and where does it come from?
  • Debt – private and public
  • Modern Monetary Theory – MMT
  • The Finance Sector – components and functions
  • Financialization
    • What is it?
    • Changes in the behavior of nonfinancial corporations
    • Intellectual Property, Patents, Copyrights
    • Unregulated Banks, Private Equity,……..
    • Mass Debt
    • Socializing Private Risk
    • Taxes, secrecy, hidden money

Update 11.15.2022

I’ve finalized the outline of the book. See the outline here >>>.

New topics kept popping up over the last month. Globalization, more sub-topics in financialization, anonymous capitalism, more clarity about the scope of precarity. Also sharpening up some of the charts and graphs to make them more legible.

Working to keep the word count to under 40,000 or 125 pages.

Target for publication now moved to January 2023.

Update

After sharing a draft with a number of people over the summer I have received quite a few suggestions. Some touch on topics that need to be added or expanded. Work needs to be done to improve the visual quality of the graphs. Overall the suggestions lead to a better narrative structure. See the new outline. The total word count of the first draft was roughly 20,000 words. The final version will be about 30,000 words. Still a short book.

Now targeting completion and trial printing of a new draft by the end of 2022.

Introduction

The work to revise and expand my 2018 essay “Capitalism – a critique” has entered its final stages. A final draft has been distributed to a number of readers for comment and critique.

I am now working on a book version. Capitalism – the actual workings – is the new working title for the book. A5 size (roughly 6 x 9 inches). Roughly 80 pages including endnotes and bibliography. More to follow.