Scan barcode
n_ck's review
informative
medium-paced
3.0
A history of neoliberalism that you've likely read before, in one form or another. He hits the familiar beats to argue that we are once again transitioning between political orders. But it falls apart in the last chapter as he appears to desperately wish for the Biden Administration to be ushering in a new era of political economy and fails to really offer a meaty historical analysis of the last 10 or so years. There's no point in writing a book or saying anything at all if it will just be repetition.
eznark's review
2.0
80% of a really good straightforward history from a populist perspective. Last 20% is filled with hyperbolic name calling.
senpai_eeyore's review
informative
reflective
medium-paced
3.5
A good accounting of the history of political orders. Its usefulness and conclusions at the end of the book left me wanting a bit more. It is more of an o broad overview of events that lead you to want to read more detailed accountings of the eras the author explains. There is still utility in these types of books however so it was not time wasted.
My criticisms is that in its telling of recent history, certain things are told as definitive conclusions rather than thoughts about prospective paths. This book certainly contributes to the mythologizing of American Presidents and the Hegemony of American power with very little in the ways of the wider international contexts. There is no real attempt to look at American power in relation to other nations and sort of leaves the reader to assume that the US will continue to lead the worldwide discourse on ideas, which I think is a broad assumption that could prove false looking at human history.
My criticisms is that in its telling of recent history, certain things are told as definitive conclusions rather than thoughts about prospective paths. This book certainly contributes to the mythologizing of American Presidents and the Hegemony of American power with very little in the ways of the wider international contexts. There is no real attempt to look at American power in relation to other nations and sort of leaves the reader to assume that the US will continue to lead the worldwide discourse on ideas, which I think is a broad assumption that could prove false looking at human history.
miguelf's review
3.0
Gave up on the eBook and when the audio version landed in my inbox decided to give it another go: it just feels like all of the material covered is so much better treated in other works. It's irksome that every work including this one seem to have a different definition of just what the N-word means; whether it’s the friendly version found on same-named podcast or the engaging subreddit or the malignant version found here.
It was just an oh-so-familiar tale and while not disputing any of the material it wasn't the best version of this particular history.
It was just an oh-so-familiar tale and while not disputing any of the material it wasn't the best version of this particular history.
stevia333k's review
Stopped at 34:38 out of 13:21:03
While it concisely debunks totalitarianism which I find helpful & can see cut a lot of bullshit out of anarchist circles, this book also says that communism is indefensible & should not be rehabilitated. Its refusal to defend communism (let alone the fact they conflate communism with socialiam () is disgusting especially when laissez faire/neoliberal economics would have us all die of famine & plague. Like the thing is that if we're being as technical with vocabulary as we are with the label neoliberal then we should also be precise with communism vs socialism & conflating an economic system with a country. They haven't said yet whether they favor anarcho-communism or something, but I don't have the patience. This book seems to be deal with novices & now I think they're gonna lie to us because it assumes we're anti-communists/mccarthyists or something.
While it concisely debunks totalitarianism which I find helpful & can see cut a lot of bullshit out of anarchist circles, this book also says that communism is indefensible & should not be rehabilitated. Its refusal to defend communism (let alone the fact they conflate communism with socialiam () is disgusting especially when laissez faire/neoliberal economics would have us all die of famine & plague. Like the thing is that if we're being as technical with vocabulary as we are with the label neoliberal then we should also be precise with communism vs socialism & conflating an economic system with a country. They haven't said yet whether they favor anarcho-communism or something, but I don't have the patience. This book seems to be deal with novices & now I think they're gonna lie to us because it assumes we're anti-communists/mccarthyists or something.
More...