A People's Guide to Capitalism: An Introduction to Marxist Economics

(Hardback)

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Economists regularly promote Capitalism as the greatest system ever to grace the planet. With the same breath, they implore us to leave the job of understanding the magical powers of the market to the "experts."

Despite the efforts of these mainstream commentators to convince us otherwise, many of us have begun to question why this system has produced such vast inequality and wanton disregard for its own environmental destruction. This book offers answers to exactly these questions on their own terms: in the form of a radical economic theory.

Reviews

"When Marxist economics becomes usable by the people most threatened by capitalismthat is when it becomes great and dangerous. Hadas Thier's urgently needed book strips away jargon to make Marx's essential work accessible to today's diverse mass movements."Sarah Leonard, contributing editor to theNation

"As the world descends into a financial and public health crisis, the savage inequalities of capitalism are being laid bare. Hadas Thiers new bookA Peoples Guide to Capitalism, has arrived right on time to clearly explain why the poor and working class always bear the brunt of capitalisms crises. Erudite and sharp, Thier unpacks the mystery of capitalist inequality with lucid and accessible prose. As we all enter into a world of new realities, we will need books likeA Peoples Guideto help us make sense of the root causes of the financial crises that shape so many of our struggles today."Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor, author ofFrom #BlackLivesMatter to Black LiberationandRace for Profit: How Banks and the Real Estate Industry Undermined Black Homeownership

"Economists have every incentive to mystify their craft and to dress up their political judgments as scientific fact. Hadas Thier'sA People's Guide to Capitalismis a thorough and accessible corrective, and sure to be an important primer for generations of activists."Bhaskar Sunkara, founding editor ofJacobin

A Peoples Guide to Capitalismis a breath of fresh air on the left. Avoiding the obscure jargon of economics, Hadas Thier provides a rich, accessible introduction to how capitalism works. Ranging from exploitation at work to the operations of modern finance, this book takes the reader through a fine-tuned introduction to Marxs analysis of the modern economy. Along the way, Thier combines theoretical explanation with contemporary examples to illuminate the inner workings of capitalism. In addition,A Peoples Guide to Capitalismreminds us of the urgent need for alternatives to a crisis-ridden system.David McNally, Cullen Distinguished Professor of History and Business at the University of Houston

Times of economic instability, pandemics, and rising fascism have people looking for understanding. Luckily, radical traditions offer helpful tools. Hadas Thier's book offers a brisk and manageable introduction to many of these ideas, and is unusually playful about it. A great book for proletarian chain-breaking.Rob Larson, Economics professor and author ofBit Tyrants: The Political Economy of Silicon Valley

It is not easy explaining relatively complex ideas in a simple and clear manner. Ask any teacher. It's a skill lacking in many. Hadas Thier has brilliantly succeeded in that challenge with her book introducing Marxist economics. She has delivered a clear, straightforward and entertaining explanation of all Marxs basic theoretical insights into the nature and development of capitalism. And she has done so using modern examples that help the reader to understand why Marxist political economy is so clinical in its analysis of the reality of modern capitalist economics. I would say no one has done it better.Michael Roberts, author ofThe Long Depression: Marxism and the Global Crisis of Capitalism

Thiers book is a valuable introduction to Marxist concepts which helps us to see how Marxism can be used to deepen our knowledge of capitalism, beyond the level of mere appearance. Daniel Saunders, Bias Magazine

A Peoples Guide to Capitalismis a tremendous contribution to the understanding of economics today...It will be very useful both to veteran Marxists and people new to the subject. Everyone interested in this topic, and indeed anyone interested in fundamentally changing the world, should read this book. Steve Leigh, New Politics

Author Bio

Hadas Thier is an activist, writer, and socialist, and in her spare time, an amateur paleontologist (aka mom to a toddler). Hadas lives in Brooklyn, NY.