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agnestyley's review
challenging
informative
slow-paced
3.0
enjoyed:
- clear and punchy explanation of how information technology is fundamentally altering the functionality of capitalism (zero marginal cost, go pirate!)
- there being PRACTICAL HOPE and a determination amongst the left!
- the joys of open source projects like wikipedia - free stuff = good! humans should not have to work if their needs are met
- destroying the neoliberal consensus (market economy ≠ only economy, shockingly)
confusing:
- so much marxist economic theory. which is interesting but oh so very confusing to understand when you have absolutely zero grounding in fundamental economics
- as much as i love labour history you should not have 50% of a book that's supposed to be a "guide to the future" about the historical development of industrialism
- why there was very little focus on the role of the global south, especially in the final chapter (the only bit actually about the future). yes he would occasionally reference it but no foregrounding or empowerment of actors in the global south, very western centric. the few sentences of the impact of climate on migration were good, but a mere few sentences.
glad I read but felt it was not written coherently tbh. he had a lot of ideas about various things but they didn't all need to go in one book.
- clear and punchy explanation of how information technology is fundamentally altering the functionality of capitalism (zero marginal cost, go pirate!)
- there being PRACTICAL HOPE and a determination amongst the left!
- the joys of open source projects like wikipedia - free stuff = good! humans should not have to work if their needs are met
- destroying the neoliberal consensus (market economy ≠ only economy, shockingly)
confusing:
- so much marxist economic theory. which is interesting but oh so very confusing to understand when you have absolutely zero grounding in fundamental economics
- as much as i love labour history you should not have 50% of a book that's supposed to be a "guide to the future" about the historical development of industrialism
- why there was very little focus on the role of the global south, especially in the final chapter (the only bit actually about the future). yes he would occasionally reference it but no foregrounding or empowerment of actors in the global south, very western centric. the few sentences of the impact of climate on migration were good, but a mere few sentences.
glad I read but felt it was not written coherently tbh. he had a lot of ideas about various things but they didn't all need to go in one book.
ekurutepe's review
4.0
There are a lot of negative things I could write about this book but they don’t really matter.
The overall idea of how we might move from a capitalist society to a post-capitalist one is very intriguing.
Although the author is very hand-wavy about a lot of details, most importantly the question if it is realistic to expect the exponential improvements prevalent in semiconductor based industries can also trickle down to physical industries.
The overall idea of how we might move from a capitalist society to a post-capitalist one is very intriguing.
Although the author is very hand-wavy about a lot of details, most importantly the question if it is realistic to expect the exponential improvements prevalent in semiconductor based industries can also trickle down to physical industries.
emselilly's review
4.0
Sometimes when I was reading this book I was like yes, perfect, this is the only way to solve the world, this is the answer to solve climate change and neo-liberalism failing, but in the end, no matter how much I want it to be true, it still seems unrealistic. While the book is really good as it looks at many economic theories, and then counter-theories and then proves them wrong, it doesn't really answer the question of how to politically make this happen. I found myself agreeing with all the chapters until the last one which comes up with a vague outline for the future/transition. I couldn't agree with most of them, regardless of Mason's justifications.
It's a very well written book, extremely interesting and I've already recommended the book to many friends, but in the end, I can't tell if I'm more or less hopeful about the solving of climate change/the economy/ social justice than before.
It's a very well written book, extremely interesting and I've already recommended the book to many friends, but in the end, I can't tell if I'm more or less hopeful about the solving of climate change/the economy/ social justice than before.
johnayliff's review against another edition
5.0
Most of the book is a shocking and convincing case for why capitalism (and neoliberalism in particular) is not sustainable, and is likely to collapse in the near future. The section on postcapitalism itself, and how a transition from capitalism to postcapitalism might be achieved, occupies only the last couple of chapters--and while it seems possible, it also seems unreasonably optimistic. But perhaps the future will prove me wrong.
tristanpej's review
5.0
Great book for explaining where we are in the cycles of centuries and where we must go.