In and Out of Crisis

Overview

An in-depth analysis of the economic crisis and an original set of solutions

In this groundbreaking study of the financial meltdown, renowned radical political economists lay bare the roots of the crisis in the inner logic of capitalism itself. Objective and detailed, this account provocatively challenges the call for a return to a largely mythical golden age of economic regulation as a check on finance capital. In addition, it deftly illuminates how the era of neoliberal free markets has been, in practice, under-girded by state intervention on a massive scale. Arguing for genuinely transformative alternatives to capitalism, and discussing how to build the collective capacity to realize these goals, this record is a critique of the crisis and an indispensable springboard for a renewed political left.

Reviews

"Leo Panitch has stood out in recent years as one of the socialist intellectuals most fully engaged with political questions, analyzing the problems faced by left-wing parties, trade unions, and other social movements with great clarity." —Irish Left Review

"Greg Albo, Sam Gindin, and Leo Panitch provide a perceptive, and persuasive, analysis of the origins of the crisis, arguing that the Left must go beyond the demand for re-regulation, which, they assert, will not solve the economic or environmental crisis, and must instead demand public control of the banks and the financial sector, and of the uses to which finance is put. This is an important book that should be read widely, especially by those hoping to revitalize the Left." —Barbara Epstein, professor, UC Santa Cruz

"[Leo Panitch is] a wonderful writer who bridges the disjuncture between theory and political praxis." —John C. Berg, government professor, Suffolk University

"Panitch’s work is consistently characterized by intelligence, rigor, and commitment." —David Abraham, law professor, University of Miami

"The most useful book to come out of the current crisis. I hope it's used to its fullest potential." —In These Times

"This brilliant work deserves a wide audience although its theoretical depth often makes it far from an easy read. Starting from the paradox that the financial meltdown has cost the ruling elites their credibility even while the North American Left has remained largely marginal, the authors proceed to challenge a number of widely held misconceptions and then sketch out a strategy for the rebirth of a radical movement." —The Labor Studies Journal

Author Biography

Greg Albo and Leo Panitch are coeditors of the Socialist Register and professors of political economy at York University in Toronto. Sam Gindin is the former research director of the Canadian Autoworkers Unions and a professor of political economy at York University. They live in Toronto.