Michael Perelman es un economista e historiador económico estadounidense cuyo trabajo examina críticamente las teorías económicas convencionales. Se enfoca en exponer las contradicciones dentro de los sistemas orientados a las ganancias, particularmente en la agricultura, destacando el desperdicio de energía y los impactos sociales y ambientales perjudiciales. Perelman también profundiza en la teoría marxista de las crisis, argumentando que ofrece un relato más sofisticado de las crisis inherentes de una economía capitalista de lo que a menudo se reconoce. A través de sus extensos escritos, ofrece una perspectiva penetrante sobre las operaciones del mercado y sus consecuencias sociales más amplias.
Examines diaries, letters, and the practical writings of the classical economists to show how Adam Smith and the other classical economists appear to have deliberately obscured the nature of the control of labour and how policies attacking the economic independence of the rural peasantry were essentially conceived to foster primitive accumulation. schovat popis
Expectations, Increasing Returns, and the Collapse of Capitalism
The book critically examines the inherent instability of competitive markets amidst the transition of socialist states to market economies and the U.S. privatization trend. Michael Perelman argues that capitalism's perceived triumph is precarious, rooted in a flawed understanding of its risks. He challenges the widely accepted belief that increased competition benefits society, using examples and anecdotes to illustrate his points. This accessible analysis provides a fresh perspective on the crises facing market economies, emphasizing the need for a deeper understanding of capitalism's dynamics.
Most economic theory assumes a pure capitalism of perfect competition. This book is a penetrating critique of the rhetoric and practice of conventional economic theory. It explores how even in the United States—the most capitalist of countries—the market has always been subject to numerous constraints.Perelman examines the way in which these constraints have been defended by such figures as Henry Ford, J. P. Morgan, and Herbert Hoover, and were indeed essential to the expansion of U.S. capitalism. In the process, he rediscovers the critical element in conservative thought—the “forgotten traditions of railroad economics”—that has been lost in the neoliberal present. This important and original historical reconstruction points the way to a discipline of economics freed from the mythology of the market.
Exploring the corporatisation of contemporary society, this critical guide examines how individualism shapes our lives and offers insights on transcending it. By analyzing the impact of corporate culture, the book encourages readers to rethink their values and relationships, promoting a collective approach to living. It provides practical strategies for fostering community and connection in an increasingly commercialized world, aiming to inspire a shift towards a more inclusive and cooperative future.