The Future of Capitalism

Facing the New Anxieties

Paul Collier author

Format:Paperback

Publisher:Penguin Books Ltd

Published:4th Jul '19

Should be back in stock very soon

The Future of Capitalism cover

Paul Collier's The Future of Capitalism examines the failures of capitalism and proposes ethical solutions to heal societal rifts.

In The Future of Capitalism, Paul Collier, a distinguished economist, offers a profound analysis of the current state of capitalism and its shortcomings. He highlights the growing rifts within society, such as the divide between thriving urban centers and struggling provinces, as well as the disparities between the highly skilled elite and the less educated populace. These divisions have led to a loss of ethical obligation towards one another, which was once a cornerstone of post-war social democracy. Collier argues that the responses to these challenges have often manifested in the form of populism and socialism, resulting in significant political upheavals like Trump’s presidency and Brexit.

Collier's approach is both passionate and pragmatic, as he presents innovative and ethical solutions to bridge these divides. Drawing from his personal experiences of moving from working-class Sheffield to the competitive environment of Oxford, and his work spanning Britain and Africa, he acknowledges the shortcomings of his profession while advocating for a more humane capitalism. He emphasizes the need to reconnect with values of belonging, patriotism, and reciprocity to heal societal fractures.

With insights that blend economics and moral philosophy, The Future of Capitalism calls for a restoration of common sense in our moral views. Collier's work is not just a critique but a roadmap to rejuvenate capitalism in a way that benefits all, making it a vital read for anyone concerned about the future of our societies.

Collier is one of the UK's most distinguished economists. In this important book, he analyses what has gone wrong with contemporary capitalism, focusing on the growing divide between the educated and the less educated and between booming metropolis and the declining provinces. Rejecting the illusions of the ideologues and the populists, he puts forward pragmatic, provocative and perceptive ways to deliver widely shared prosperity, by restoring an ethical basis to our national politics, companies and families. -- Martin Wolf, The Best Books of 2018 * Financial Times *
I'm a big fan of Paul Collier. When I saw that The Future of Capitalism was about the polarization we're seeing in the U.S., Europe, and other places, I was eager to see what he had to say. I'm glad I did. The Future of Capitalism is an ambitious and thought-provoking book. . . . I think he is right more often than not. Ultimately, I agree with him that 'capitalism needs to be managed, not defeated.' -- Bill Gates, Summer Reading Recommendations 2019
These times are in desperate need of Paul Collier's insights. TheFuture of Capitalism restores common sense to our views of morality, as it also describes their critical role in what makes families, organizations, and nations work. It is the most revolutionary work of social science since Keynes. Let's hope it will also be the most influential -- George Akerlof, Nobel Laureate in Economics, 2001
For me the most gripping [2018 book on capitalism] was Paul Collier's The Future of Capitalism: a deep exploration of the ethical institutions underlying our market society -- and an impassioned argument about how to restore them. -- Jesse Norman * The New Statesman *
Collier has set for himself [the task] to re-establish the ethical character of social democracy. This is an important book for anyone concerned at the state of modern politics and our liberal democracies. -- Jon Cruddas MP
This book is not an easy read but it is an important one - the revenge of the clever provincial biting the metropolitan hand that has fed him so generously. -- David Goodhart * Evening Standard *
In this bold work of intellectual trespass, Paul Collier, a distinguished economist, ventures onto the terrain of ethics to explain what's gone wrong with capitalism, and how to fix it. To heal the divide between metropolitan elites and the left-behind, he argues, we need to rediscover an ethic of belonging, patriotism, and reciprocity. Offering inventive solutions to our current impasse, Collier shows how economics at its best is inseparable from moral and political philosophy' -- Michael Sandel, author of What Money Can’t Buy and Justice
For thirty years, the centre left of politics has been searching for a narrative that makes sense of the market economy. This book provides it -- John Kay, Fellow of St John's College, Oxford and the author of Obliquity and Other People's Money
For well-to-do metropolitans, capitalism is the gift that goes on giving. For others, capitalism is not working. Paul Collier deploys passion, pragmatism and good economics in equal measure to chart an alternative to the divisions tearing apart so many western countries. -- Mervyn King, former Governor of the Bank of England

  • Winner of The German Business Book Award 2019 (UK)

ISBN: 9780141987255

Dimensions: 198mm x 130mm x 15mm

Weight: 192g

256 pages