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Crack-Up Capitalism: Market Radicals and the Dream of a World Without Democracy

Crack-Up Capitalism: Market Radicals and the Dream of a World Without Democracy

by Quinn Slobodian (Author)

In a revelatory dispatch from the frontier of capitalist extremism, an acclaimed historian of ideas shows how free marketeers are realizing their ultimate goal: an end to nation-states and the constraints of democracy.Look at a map of the world and youll see a colorful checkerboard of nation-states. But this is not where power actually resides. Over the last decade, globalization has shattered the map into different legal spaces: free ports, tax havens, special economic zones. With the new spaces, ultracapitalists have started to believe that it is possible to escape the bonds of democratic government and oversight altogether.Crack-Up Capitalism follows the most notorious radical libertarians―from Milton Friedman to Peter Thiel―around the globe as they search for the perfect space for capitalism. Historian Quinn Slobodian leads us from Hong Kong in the 1970s to South Africa in the late days of apartheid, from the neo-Confederate South to the former frontier of the American West, from the medieval City of London to the gold vaults of right-wing billionaires, and finally into the worlds oceans and war zones, charting the relentless quest for a blank slate where market competition is unfettered by democracy.A masterful work of economic and intellectual history, Crack-Up Capitalism offers both a new way of looking at the world and a new vision of coming threats. Full of rich details and provocative analysis, Crack-Up Capitalism offers an alarming view of a possible future.

In his provocative new book, "Crack-Up Capitalism: Market Radicals and the Dream of a World Without Democracy", Quinn Slobodian delves into the historical roots of the current political and economic turmoil, tracing the rise of a radical group of market fundamentalists who have sought to reshape the world in their own image.

Slobodian argues that these market radicals, who emerged in the early 20th century, were motivated by a deep-seated belief in the superiority of the market over democracy. They saw the market as a self-regulating force that could solve all of society's problems, from poverty to inequality to war. And they believed that the state should be stripped of its power and replaced by a system of private property and free trade. Slobodian shows how these ideas have had a profound impact on the world, from the rise of neoliberalism to the global financial crisis.

"Crack-Up Capitalism" is a timely and important book that sheds new light on the forces that are shaping our world today. It is a must-read for anyone who wants to understand the challenges facing democracy and capitalism in the 21st century.

Here are some key insights from "Crack-Up Capitalism":

  • Market radicals believe that the market is a self-regulating force that can solve all of society's problems.
  • They see the state as a source of inefficiency and corruption, and they believe that it should be stripped of its power and replaced by a system of private property and free trade.
  • Market radicals have had a profound impact on the world, from the rise of neoliberalism to the global financial crisis.
  • "Crack-Up Capitalism" is a timely and important book that sheds new light on the forces that are shaping our world today.

If you are interested in learning more about the history of market radicalism and its impact on the world, I highly recommend reading "Crack-Up Capitalism".

Rating:

Pages:
352
Language:
English