Pluto Press Decent Capitalism: A Blueprint for Reforming our Economies

The recent crisis, created by finance capitalism, has brought us to the economic abyss. The excessive freedom of international markets has rapidly transformed into international panic, with states struggling to rescue and bail out a globalised financial sector. Reform is promised by our leaders, but in governments dominated by financial interests there is little hope of meaningful change. Decent Capitalism argues for a response that addresses capitalism’s systemic tendency towards crisis, a tendency which is completely absent from the mainstream debate. The authors develop a concept of a moderated capitalism that keeps its core strengths intact while reducing its inherent destructive political force in our societies. This book argues that reforming the capitalist system will have to be far more radical than the current political discourse suggests. Decent Capitalism is a concept and a slogan that will inspire political activists, trade unionists and policy makers to get behind a package of reforms that finally allows the majority to master capitalism. Review The authors present a highly stimulating and thoughtful proposal on how to stabilise the world economy and how to make financial crises less likely and less lethal in the future. It is comforting to see such a constructive contribution to this debate coming from Europe. (Nouriel Roubini, Professor of Economics and International Business, Stern School of Business, New York University) An important contribution to the post-crisis economic literature which offers sensible, practical and distinctly non-utopian policy options. Whatever policy agenda is likely to emerge from the current financial mess, I would bet it will be based on the principles outlined in this book. (Wolfgang Münchau, associate editor of the Financial Times) An outstanding book that gives a comprehensive, sensitive and thoughtful account of the crisis and presents a feasible model for a better world economy to benefit all the people. It should be compulsory reading for scholars and lay persons alike. (Yaga Venugopal Reddy, Emeritus Professor of Economics at the University of Hyderabad and Former Governor of the Reserve Bank of India) Dullien, Herr and Kellerman go far far beyond the parameters of neoliberalism in providing the grounds for an egalitarian, partially regulated, green market economy. This book is definitely part of a new generation of economic thinking for the left that takes us forward. (Professor Colin Crouch FBA, University of Warwick Business School) Dullien, Herr and Kellermann’s engaging argument is worth reflecting upon. This is the kind of bold thinking we need today, if we are to match the challenges of our times. (Poul Nyrup Rasmussen, President, Party of European Socialists) About the Author Sebastian Dullien is a Professor of International Economics at HTW Berlin - University of Applied Sciences. He is Senior Fellow of the American Institute for Contemporary German Studies (AICGS) at the Johns Hopkins University. Hansjörg Herr is a Professor at the Berlin School of Economics. He is the author of one of Germany's leading economics text books. Christian Kellermann is the Director of the Nordic Office of the Friedrich Ebert Foundation (FES) in Stockholm. Before joining the FES, he worked as a financial market analyst in Frankfurt and New York.