The Capitalist Manifesto
Why the Global Free Market Will Save the World
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The Capitalist Manifesto
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Narrated by:
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Mark Elstob
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By:
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Johan Norberg
About this listen
Marx and Engels were right when they observed in the Communist Manifesto that free markets had in a short time created greater prosperity and more technological innovation than all previous generations combined. A century and a half later, all the evidence shows that capitalism has lifted millions and millions from hunger and poverty.
Today's story about global capitalism, shared by right-wing and left-wing populists, but also by large sections of the political and economic establishment, does not deny that prosperity has been created, but it says it ended up in far too few hands. This in turn has made it popular to talk about the global economy as a geopolitical zero-sum game, where we have to fight to control new innovations, introduce trade barriers and renationalise value chains. While, more broadly, capitalism is accused of fuelling glaring inequality, populist revolts, climate change and China's global conquest.
In this incisive and passionate investigation, Johan Norberg instead states the case for capitalism and the vital role played by the free market in today's uncertain world. Ultimately, he argues that that a move away from global capitalism would not only squeeze the growth out of the economy but also deepen an already large social exclusion for the vulnerable—for the world's poor, it would be a killing blow.
©2023 Johan Norberg (P)2023 W. F. Howes LtdWhat listeners say about The Capitalist Manifesto
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Ismael A.
- 27-12-2023
Capitalist views like no others.
The book is clearly well formed, written and structured coming from an experienced writer. However, some statements were obviously a mere opinion than facts, and these grey areas are scattered around the book and mixed up with more verifiable facts.
While there is no fault in this, it is dangerous to take opinions as facts and blindly accept all of Norberg's claims as truth. (Same if you accept Marx's and Engel's opinions as truth).
In my personal views, some of Norberg's postulates are just a sales pitch for capitalism, and they can sound very absurd and presumptive of many aspects of life, some sound like they come from a very detached-from-reality Swedish academic rather than a hands-on economist/human being.
Comparing 1840 with 2023 is a bit futile. Claiming that some 50 year old studies were wrong because "now we got it right" when the background it is an ever-changing landscape makes little sense. It's quite easy to formulate an argument with such differences.
Anyways, not a bad book at all. Au contraire, I quite enjoyed it in general, but definitely not life changing either. It actually left me a bit more sceptical and with a few questions about his claims, figures and the overall capitalist theory.
I'd guess it's a good thing when a book invites you to think more, and not claim to be the ultimate source of truth, but at times it felt like that. I tend to take things with a grain of salt when they are pulling so hard to either side. Life is a game of balance.
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