(as of 1.3.2023)
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- Central Purpose
- The Research and Writing Process
- Approaches to Reading the Book
- Chapter One – Capitalism Defined
- What is capitalism? – the economist’s definition – a world disconnected from reality
- What is capitalism? – our politics’ rhetoric
- Capitalism defined
- What is an economy for? – a broader view – our view here
- The rich and corporations understand how capitalism actually works
- About Neoliberalism – don’t be confused by this ungainly word
- Chapter Two – Capitalism – key features
- Some context
- The role of the Scientific Revolution
- Capitalism produces precarity – persistent insecurity
- The capitalist system is unstable – the self-regulating market system?
- The capitalist system operates on unequal power relationships.
- Private property and rent
- Capitalism tends towards monopoly.
- Competition – avoided or eliminated wherever possible
- Capitalism concentrates wealth and income.
- Anonymous Capitalism
- Global Capitalism
- Capitalism controls investment of most financial and other resources.
- Capitalism features ubiquitous use of “external” costs.
- Capitalism works on a short investment time horizon.
- Capitalism does not provide for housing, healthcare, education, and other family needs
- Capitalism distorts, changes, and creates human demand and consumption.
- Misapplication of markets
- Capitalism disaggregates production of goods and services.
- Money and the Financial Sector
- How Is Money Created?
- What is Debt? – the Federal Deficit
- Modern Money Theory – MMT
- The Finance Sector
- What is financialization?
- Changes in the structure and operation of financial markets
- Changes in the behavior of nonfinancial corporations
- Intellectual Property, Patents, Copyrights
- Unregulated Banks, Private Equity,……..
- Mass Debt
- Socializing Private Risk
- What is a corporation for?
- Taxes, secrecy, hidden money
- Globalization
- Capitalism requires endless growth on a planet with finite resources.
- Is capitalism a system?
- Slavery, colonialism, and the use of state power.
- Chapter Three – How does this compare to American values?
- My children will be better off than me
- Hard work pays off – social mobility
- Everyone is equal
- Your life is in your own hands – the land of opportunity
- Participation in decision making – agency
- Progress
- Chapter Four – Precarity – How we experience capitalism
- Types of Precarity
- Labor Precarity
- Job security – ability and opportunity to find an occupational niche – opportunities to move up in status and income
- Housing Precarity
- Transportation
- Food Precarity
- Education Precarity
- Precarity for Women
- Health Precarity
- Precarity of Time
- Retirement Precarity
- Family Precarity
- Mental Health Precarity
- Is Precarity a Global Phenomenon?
- Chapter Five – In Conclusion
- Important take aways
- Future Paths Froward?
- Bibliography
- Index