Capitalism replaced
Wed 11:05 am +00:00, 30 Oct 2024 3
Remember to add your book recommendations in the comments below.
Today’s book is:
The Managerial Revolution: What is Happening in the World by James Burnham
 |
‘Burnham has real intellectual courage, and writes about real issues.’ – George Orwell
Burnham’s claim was that capitalism was dead, but that it was being replaced not by socialism, but a new economic system he called “managerialism”; rule by managers.
Written in 1941, this is the book that theorised how the world was moving into the hands of the ‘managers’. Burnham explains how Capitalism had virtually lost its control, and would be displaced not by labour, nor by socialism, but by the rule of administrators in business and in government.
This revolution, he posited, is as broad as the world and as comprehensive as human society, asking “Why is ‘totalitarianism’ not the issue?” “Can civilization be destroyed?” And “Why is the New Deal something bigger than Roosevelt can handle?”
In a volume extraordinary for its dispassionate handling of those and other fundamental questions, James Burnham explores fully the implications of the managerial revolution.
You can buy the book here (Amazon link).
This almost seems self evident now, capitalism died in 1930’s at the very latest, probably a lot earlier realistically
What are technocrats if not managers?
So this post has piqued my interest. I presume that you have read the book Tap? If so then. will you give us all a quick summary?
Haven’t read the book, Pete. Capitalism means rule by capital – to me. The power of money crushing humanity, not the same thing as entrepreneurship or inventiveness when humans adapt successfully to living within a market economy. The latter had a good run since the 80’s post-Thatcher – another -ism. Technocracy is another way of crushing humanity – using electronic devices and data management to shepherd humans into shorter less healthy lives, and hold us in smaller and smaller fifteen minute cities. I see managerialism as the same as technocracy. It’s all about how the ultra powerful decide to cull the human herd and keep us as slaves….unknown to the slaves for the most part that slaves is what they are intended to be. Management is how we respond the various strategies to try to maintain relative freedom.
Thanks Tap and I agree with what you say
“The power of money crushing humanity, not the same thing as entrepreneurship or inventiveness when humans adapt successfully to living within a market economy.”
I suppose that I was referring to financial capitalism, as opposed to real money capitalism, which is the natural human condition
Agreed on this too
“I see managerialism as the same as technocracy”
That is self evident now to me, just that many don’t see it