Policy Press

Too Much Stuff

Capitalism in Crisis

By Kozo Yamamura

Published

Mar 21, 2018

Page count

224 pages

ISBN

978-1447335696

Dimensions

216 x 138 mm

Imprint

Policy Press

Published

Mar 2, 2017

Page count

224 pages

ISBN

978-1447335658

Dimensions

216 x 138 mm

Imprint

Policy Press

Published

Mar 2, 2017

Page count

224 pages

ISBN

978-1447335672

Dimensions

Imprint

Policy Press

Published

Mar 2, 2017

Page count

224 pages

ISBN

978-1447335689

Dimensions

Imprint

Policy Press
Too Much Stuff

Where has capitalism gone wrong? Why are advanced capitalist economies so sick and why do conventional policy solutions, such as reduced taxes and increased money supply, produce only wider income disparity and inequality?

We now live in a new world in which we enjoy the highest living standard in history, acquiring ever more goods and services as necessary luxuries. Yet current policies only serve to expand public debt and exacerbate socio-economic inequality.

In Too much stuff, Yamamura upends conventional capitalist wisdom to provide a new approach. He suggests the only way for capitalism and democracy to thrive is to increase investment to meet societal needs such as improving social safety nets, infrastructure, and better education and health care for all, but this means raising taxes. Both solutions-orientated and accessibly written, this book argues that this will help reduce the growing wealth gap which threatens global democracy.

With fascinating examples from the US, Japan and Germany, as well as convincing evidence from across the Western world, this bold book challenges the economic orthodoxy and offers practical steps forward that we can all support.

Kozo Yamamura was until recently the Job and Gertrud Tamaki Professor of Asian Studies and Economics at the University of Washington, Seattle. He also worked at universities in the US, Japan, Germany and France. He published or edited 25 books from in the US, UK and Japan, many focused on the Japanese economy and economic history, in addition to several books on Comparative Economic Institutions and Policy.

A new perspective on capitalism's "sickness";

Inspiration in the Kaufhaus des Westens;

Unreal tax rates;

Printing money;

Inequality and discontent;

Buckling bridges and crumbling mountains;

The United States: stagnation and gridlock;

Japan: bubbles, "lost years" and Abenomics;

Unified Germany: a divided nation;

Four European economies;

Reform to the rescue;

Adapting capitalism and changing politics;

Conclusion.