By Paul Mason
Economic analysis of capitalism's transformation through information technology.
Subject
Themes
PostCapitalism presents Paul Mason's analysis of capitalism's current crisis and his vision for a transition to a new economic system. Writing in the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis, Mason argues that neoliberalism has fundamentally broken down and that capitalism itself is reaching its historical limits. The book traces the evolution from free-market capitalism through monopoly capitalism to the current information-driven economy, demonstrating how each transformation has created new contradictions.
PostCapitalism presents Paul Mason's analysis of capitalism's current crisis and his vision for a transition to a new economic system. Writing in the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis, Mason argues that neoliberalism has fundamentally broken down and that capitalism itself is reaching its…
PostCapitalism emerges from a rich tradition of critical economic analysis while addressing contemporary challenges that earlier theorists could not have anticipated. Mason's work builds on Marx's insights about capitalism's internal contradictions while incorporating insights from complexity…
Mason begins his analysis by examining the current crisis of neoliberalism through the lens of Nikolai Kondratieff's long-wave theory. Kondratieff, a Soviet economist executed by Stalin in 1938, identified fifty-year cycles in capitalist development, each characterised by periods of expansion…
Central to Mason's argument is the revolutionary impact of information technology on capitalism's fundamental operating principles. Traditional economic theory assumes that markets function through scarcity-based pricing, where the value of goods reflects the labour and resources required to produce…
Mason identifies numerous examples of postcapitalist production already emerging within the current economic system, demonstrating that the transition beyond capitalism is not merely theoretical but actively occurring. These new forms of organisation operate according to principles fundamentally…
Mason presents a stark analysis of the multiple crisis scenarios that humanity faces if the transition beyond capitalism fails to occur in time. Rather than offering false optimism, he acknowledges the serious political, social, and environmental obstacles that could prevent positive transformation,…
Mason concludes his analysis by proposing 'Project Zero,' a comprehensive strategy for managing the transition from capitalism to postcapitalism. This represents his attempt to move beyond critique toward practical policy proposals that could facilitate the emergence of a new economic system. The…
Mason opens PostCapitalism by documenting the global crisis of neoliberalism through vivid examples from conflict zones and economic peripheries. His journey to the Moldovan-Transnistrian border illustrates how capitalism's failure manifests in real human suffering. Moldova, despite embracing…
Mason introduces Nikolai Kondratieff's long-wave theory as a framework for understanding capitalism's historical development and current crisis. Kondratieff, a Soviet economist executed by Stalin in 1938, identified fifty-year cycles in capitalist development that help explain why the global economy…
Mason examines Marx's economic theory to understand whether his predictions about capitalism's trajectory remain relevant for contemporary analysis. Rather than defending or attacking Marx's entire system, Mason focuses on specific insights that illuminate current economic contradictions,…
Mason develops his central argument that we are experiencing an unprecedented disruption of capitalism's normal long-wave patterns, creating conditions that point toward postcapitalist transformation. Unlike previous cycles that ended with renewal through creative destruction, the current wave has…
Mason examines historical thinkers who anticipated the emergence of postcapitalist economic forms, demonstrating that the idea of moving beyond market-based systems has deep intellectual roots. These 'prophets' identified contradictions within capitalism that would eventually require fundamental…
Mason explores how information technology is creating the conditions for what he calls 'the free machine' - automated production systems that could operate with minimal human labour while producing abundance rather than scarcity. This chapter examines the technical and economic possibilities that…
Mason examines contemporary examples of postcapitalist production already emerging within the current system, focusing on the activists, entrepreneurs, and communities who are pioneering new forms of economic organisation. These 'beautiful troublemakers' demonstrate that alternatives to capitalism…
Mason explores the historical mechanisms through which economic systems have transformed, drawing lessons for understanding how the transition from capitalism to postcapitalism might occur. By examining previous systemic changes, he identifies patterns and principles that could guide contemporary…
Mason presents an urgent assessment of the converging crises that make immediate action toward postcapitalism essential for human survival and prosperity. Rather than promoting alarmism, he argues that rational analysis of current trends demonstrates the need for rapid transformation before…
Mason concludes PostCapitalism with a detailed blueprint for transitioning to a postcapitalist economy through what he calls 'Project Zero' - an ambitious programme aimed at achieving zero carbon emissions, zero poverty, and zero unnecessary work within a generation. Rather than waiting for…
By Paul Mason
Subject
Themes
PostCapitalism presents Paul Mason's analysis of capitalism's current crisis and his vision for a transition to a new economic system. Writing in the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis, Mason argues that neoliberalism has fundamentally broken down and that capitalism itself is reaching its historical limits. The book traces the evolution from free-market capitalism through monopoly capitalism to the current information-driven economy, demonstrating how each transformation has created new contradictions.