“Building a New World Inside the Old One”
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Title: How to Be an Anticapitalist in the 21st Century
Author: Erik Olin Wright
Category: Economics & Global Markets, Politics & Current Affairs
When you hear the word 'anticapitalist,' do you picture protesters with signs and a bit of doom and gloom? Sam and Sophie start with that image, then Erik Olin Wright's book flips it: it's not about smashing everything down, but about building a new world inside the old one.
They walk through Wright's third path between revolution and reform: eroding capitalism from within. The episode covers the three harms of capitalism—inequality, the tyranny of the bottom line, and commodification—and then digs into the three arenas of struggle: the state, the economy, and civil society. You'll hear about worker co-ops like Mondragón, community land trusts, public banks, and why these small institutions matter more than waiting for the big collapse.
If you've ever felt that the system is broken but weren't sure what to do about it, this episode gives you a practical, hopeful framework. The takeaway: the most radical thing you can do is start building alternatives right now, brick by brick, cooperative by cooperative.
How to Be an Anticapitalist in the 21st Century by Erik Olin Wright. For the full written summary and 6,000+ other titles, check out the 7 Minute Books app at 7minutebooks.com/app—unlimited access from $2.99 a month, $9.99 a year, or $19.99 lifetime.
Chapters
00:00Rethinking Anticapitalism01:19Three Harms of Capitalism02:26Values and Arenas of Struggle03:33Worker Co-ops and Social Economy05:32Challenges and Realistic Utopianism06:24Building the New World Now
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