Saving Capitalism by Robert B. Reich Summary
Overview of Saving Capitalism
Reich's explosive critique reveals how capitalism has been hijacked by the elite, sparking debate across political divides. Even conservative Republicans found common ground with his call to end corporate welfare and restore economic balance. Democracy's survival depends on fixing this rigged game.
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Key takeaways
The Market Mirage: Who Really Writes the Rules?
Remember when a single income could support a family? In the 1950s, America built history's largest middle class, with workers' earnings doubling alongside economic growth. Today, the economy has doubled again, but typical earnings have stagnated while CEO pay skyrocketed from 20 to over 300 times worker compensation. What happened? The answer lies in understanding that markets aren't natural phenomena but human constructions shaped by rules that determine winners and losers. These rules aren't neutral or unchanging-they reflect who holds power at any given moment. The endless debate between "free markets" and "government intervention" fundamentally misunderstands how capitalism works. Markets cannot exist without government establishing and enforcing property rights, contracts, monopoly limits, bankruptcy procedures, and enforcement mechanisms. Those arguing for "less government" actually want different government rules-often ones favoring themselves or their patrons. The "deregulation" of finance wasn't removing government from markets; it was reregulation with different rules benefiting Wall Street through mechanisms like the repeal of Glass-Steagall. The real question isn't whether government should be involved in markets-it always is-but whose interests the rules serve and how they distribute power and wealth.
The Five Building Blocks: How Markets Are Made
The Power Shift: How Democracy Was Captured
The Myth of Meritocracy: Rethinking Worth
The Broken Bargain: How the Middle Class Lost Ground
Restoring Balance: The Path Forward
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"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
From Columbia University alumni built in San Francisco
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
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