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Can Capitalism Survive?: Creative Destruction and the Future of the Global Economy (Harper Perennial Modern Thought) Paperback – September 1, 2009
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“Schumpeter was the most farsighted of twentieth-century economists. His focus on capitalism and creative destruction made him the prophet of globalization.” — The Nation
In this new addition to the Harper Perennial Modern Thought series, preeminent economist Joseph Schumpeter, author of Capitalism, Socialism, and Democracy, offers his celebrated answer to question everyone is now asking: Can Capitalism Survive? His answer: “No. I do not think it can.” Learn his fascinating reason why in this book of philosophy, considered by many economists to be the finest analysis of capitalism ever written.
- Print length208 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherHarper Perennial Modern Classics
- Publication dateSeptember 1, 2009
- Dimensions4.5 x 0.58 x 7.12 inches
- ISBN-100061928011
- ISBN-13978-0061928017
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“Joseph Schumpeter’s classic Capitalism, Socialism, and Democracy explains the process of capitalism’s 'creative destruction'–a key principle in understanding the logic of globalization.” — Thomas L. Friedman, Foreign Policy
“The great economist Joseph Schumpeter highlighted the role of innovation in powering the rise of new industries, the creative destruction of existing ones, and the growth in prosperity of economies.” — Richard Florida, The Atlantic
“The 20th century’s foremost economist.” — Steve Forbes, Forbes
"The most important economist of the twenty-first century might actually turn out to be not Adam Smith or Keynes, but Joseph Schumpeter. One of Schumpeter’s most important contributions was the emphasis he placed on the tremendous power of innovation and entrepreneurial initiative to drive growth through a process he famously characterized as ‘creative destruction.’.” — Lawrence H. Summers, former Secretary of the Treasury
“Schumpeter gave us stunning insights into how the world really works. We are now living, it is said, in the Age of Schumpeter. . . . Schumpeter was a powerful prophet, and he now offers dazzling insights into everything from the rise of Wal-Mart to prosperity’s discontents.” — Newsweek
“If Keynes was the most important economist of the 20th century, then Schumpeter may well be the most important of the 21st. . . . . His economic understanding was brilliant . . . He tried to set long-term economic growth--entrepreneurship and enterprise--at the top of the discipline’s agenda. . . . Capitalism, Socialism, and Democracy is superb.” — J. Bradford DeLong, Chronicle of Higher Education
“The most influential economist of the 20th century. . . . The years since this book first appeared have surely proved Schumpeter to be a major prophet.” — Peter Drucker, Fortune
“Schumpeter was the most farsighted of twentieth-century economists. His focus on capitalism and creative destruction made him the prophet of globalization.” — The Nation
“In his classic work, Capitalism, Socialism and Democracy, Schumpeter described how unexpected innovations destroyed markets and gave rise to new fortunes.” — New York Times
“Among the great economists.” — Harper's Magazine
“An economic prophet.” — The Economist
“The greatest defense of capitalist, European civilization ever penned. . . . Schumpeter did more than anyone to persuade American leaders to preserve the capitalist system” — American Conservative
From the Back Cover
Considered by many economists to be the finest analysis of capitalism ever written, Can Capitalism Survive? introduces Joseph A. Schumpeter's theory of "creative destruction," stating that in capitalist economies new innovations erode the position of established firms while also providing new and previously unforeseen avenues of economic growth. Today the effects of such advancements as Mp3s—replacing CDs, which in turn had replaced cassettes and vinyl records—have proven his ideas correct. Prophetically arguing that capitalist societies are also subject to "perennial gales" of destruction that wipe away fortunes, this great economist revealed the vast, often chaotic economic landscape of world capitalism. First published in Schumpeter's classic Capitalism, Socialism and Democracy, here is an invaluable guide the global economy.
About the Author
Joseph A. Schumpeter (1883-1950) served as Austria's first finance minister, made and lost a fortune as an investment banker, and taught economics for many years at Harvard. Capitalism, Socialism and Democracy is his best-known work.
Product details
- Publisher : Harper Perennial Modern Classics (September 1, 2009)
- Language : English
- Paperback : 208 pages
- ISBN-10 : 0061928011
- ISBN-13 : 978-0061928017
- Item Weight : 5.6 ounces
- Dimensions : 4.5 x 0.58 x 7.12 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #1,070,493 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #840 in Marketing & Consumer Behavior
- #1,244 in Theory of Economics
- #1,884 in Environmental Economics (Books)
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His observations about the superstructure of the capitalist economy are incredibly astute, in ways that other economists of the Austrian school would fail to perceive- it's historical significance, and, most importantly, it's ramifications on the development of society over the past two-hundred years.
Moreover, he humbly acknowledges, in ways other free-marketeers do not, a number of its negative consequences on social development- particularly in regard to family-structure, faith and basic humanistic compassion.
And yet, throughout the work there are a number of pressing contradictions in his logic- particularly in his failure to reconcile the historical development of capitalism vis-a-vis previous systems of social order.
He, like most economists, also attempts to repudiate any moral arguments in the battle between capitalism v. socialism (ones that he suggests would inherently favor socialism)-- while simultaneously defending an individualist utilitarianism throughout the entire work.
His position? The long-range, the broad-picture of economic development is what we must fixate upon, rather than the current condition when discussing the merits of unfettered capitalism. Here he introduces his theory of 'creative destruction', arguing that the growth of technology is spurred on by a perpetual cycle of destruction and creation of existing structures, which is constantly leading innovation. With this he staunchly defends the technological and material progress of the past two centuries as indebted solely to capitalism. He attributes all the positives of modernity to capitalism--embodied rationality-- while arguing that the rationality of socialism, and recognition of failures within capitalism, as short-sighted. In short, he has his cake and eats it too.
Schumpeter's 'Can Capitalism Survive?' is as much a treatise in defense of capitalism as it as a lamentation for its potential destruction. While it may be dated (completed and published in 1942), it continues to provide a number of solid arguments for those in favor of its continuation, even if his underlying ideology blinds him in recognizing some pressing logical shortcomings.
First, the author attempts to correct the wrong reasons for capitalism's failure. This is primarily a response to criticisms about price rigidity as well as the Marshall-Cournot theories on monopoly. Regarding the Marshall-Cournot theories, Schumpeter explains that pure-competition, as opposed to monopolistic-competition, has both advantages and disadvantages to the consumer. While monopolistic-competition may allow for some ability to bend production to the will of the profiteer, it also allows for economies of scale and the capacity to withstand supply/demand shocks (promoting stability to fight supply shortfalls especially).
Next, the author addresses both the theory of the conservation of capital and the theory of vanishing investment opportunity. The author's correct understanding of corporate finance and project profitability measurement makes it easy to see why the conservation of capital theory may at worst slow progress, and at best be irrelevant. While the theory of vanishing investment opportunity is refuted in the short-term, his thesis seems to not fully reject it. At some point, the author states, needs may be so satisfied (technologically I assume) that entrepreneurship ceases to exist (due to competitive investment driving interest and return on capital to zero as investment outlets disappear). Thus, the primary tools which allow the bourgeois class to maintain class separation disappear. The author does state that when this would occur is currently "incalculable." Further, and one of my reasons for 4 stars instead of 5, the author does not critically examine a corporate world with no entrepreneurship. Do companies all approach pure-competition or monopoly? If each has advantages, surely an industry has no definitive "end" where competition may no longer be warranted.
The last point I'd like to draw attention to is the author's linking of rationalism to capitalism. This part was more philosophic, explaining how the first person in a primitive culture who decided to construct a bucket instead of doing a rain dance was not only rational, but was acting on capitalistic incentives. However, the author continues his line of thought until coming to the breakdown of capitalist society from its own "rational" actions of its actors. While I may have 75 more years of history from which to examine, it is difficult for me to agree with the cultural changes capitalism will encourage. People still care about families, and even total strangers. Profit guides, but compassion has not disappeared. The greed that exists can exist in any economic system. While I agree that a socialist system removes the tools which allow greed an outlet, this very greed often has just as many (if not more) positive effects on consumers than negative. The author provides ingenious explanations of cultural changes due to capitalism's transition from feudalism, but not with regard to capitalism's future transition to socialism.
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"Can Capitalism Survive?" appears to be a section of Schumpeter's most famous book Capitalism, Socialism and Democracy (Routledge Classics) . Though it has a slightly abstract and academic style, it repays effort and gives a window into the author's ideas such as creative destruction and his view of markets. Schumpeter's take on them is one of dynamic processes. Cycles of innovation through entrepreneurs making new industries to obsolescence and slumps (or destruction) that go with it. He views these as being an inevitable part of capitalism.
It's interesting here to compare this with Keynes' views on markets as they share some similarities in recognising that slumps are apart of capitalism. Yet it's this, perhaps one of the most important of his insights that, proponents of the "efficient markets hypothesis" rejected from Keynes, partly for ideological reasons. Yet in rejecting Keynes, they were also rejecting Schumpeter who they might have found more ideological sympathy.
However, Keynesians may also learn much from Schumpeter. His analysis of what causes slumps goes deeper, looking at the effect they can have on social classes, intellectual ideas as well as with business. He examines to what degree economic organisations remain competitive as they develop in size and how this may change markets. All this he looks at from a wider viewpoint going beyond the limits of economics as a subject, arguing slumps can also be creative in bringing forth new technology and ideas. Thus, he argues, "destruction" may be another name for transformation.
At the time of writing, Keynes has come back into fashion after the credit crisis. At times he still seems to me the writer with has most insight into the causes of the current recession. After reading this, I would say he has an equal in Schumpeter, whose insights raise new questions. Both should be read and studied. This volume is a good place to start with the great Austrian.








