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Escape from Capitalism: An Intervention
For fans of Bernie Sanders and Thomas Piketty, an urgent intervention against capitalism revealing how economic models serve the extremely wealthy and powerful at the expense of ordinary people—and how we can reclaim our power to make choices about our economic lives.
Capitalism isn’t inevitable, scientific, or natural—it's a relatively young system that can be replaced. In this radical rethinking of economics, Clara Mattei argues that enduring problems such as poverty, unemployment, and inflation are not bugs in the economy but core features. They are justified with pseudoscientific models, fabrications built to support a capitalist economy that unfairly rewards people with the most resources.
The tools of economic experts—budget cuts, interest rate hikes, and regressive taxes—are sold as apolitical but disguise a bleak they maintain our capitalist system, reinforcing inequality. Central bankers raise interest rates knowing this will cause a recession and pain to working families. Governments slash tax collection jobs in the name of balanced budgets, which actually shields the wealthy from tax enforcement and creates budget shortfalls used to justify cuts in social services. Textbooks teach that unemployment must rise to fix inflation. But this model creates conditions that force people to accept crummy jobs and low pay.
In the wake of World War I, when the world’s economy was in turmoil, economics was elevated to a scientific discipline, legitimized through mathematical formulas and new economic institutions considered too sophisticated for the average person to understand. Today’s economic institutions, from the Fed to the IMF, wield immense power over monetary policy yet are shielded from democratic scrutiny. Why should we accept a system that delegates crucial decisions that impact our lives to institutions in which we have no say?
All the major problems today—from a healthcare system that prioritizes profits over well-being to the rise of ultranationalism—are rooted in an economic system that fails to serve the common good. In this revelatory manifesto, Mattei sets out a revolutionary vision that may one day allow us to achieve true economic freedom and finally escape from capitalism.
Capitalism isn’t inevitable, scientific, or natural—it's a relatively young system that can be replaced. In this radical rethinking of economics, Clara Mattei argues that enduring problems such as poverty, unemployment, and inflation are not bugs in the economy but core features. They are justified with pseudoscientific models, fabrications built to support a capitalist economy that unfairly rewards people with the most resources.
The tools of economic experts—budget cuts, interest rate hikes, and regressive taxes—are sold as apolitical but disguise a bleak they maintain our capitalist system, reinforcing inequality. Central bankers raise interest rates knowing this will cause a recession and pain to working families. Governments slash tax collection jobs in the name of balanced budgets, which actually shields the wealthy from tax enforcement and creates budget shortfalls used to justify cuts in social services. Textbooks teach that unemployment must rise to fix inflation. But this model creates conditions that force people to accept crummy jobs and low pay.
In the wake of World War I, when the world’s economy was in turmoil, economics was elevated to a scientific discipline, legitimized through mathematical formulas and new economic institutions considered too sophisticated for the average person to understand. Today’s economic institutions, from the Fed to the IMF, wield immense power over monetary policy yet are shielded from democratic scrutiny. Why should we accept a system that delegates crucial decisions that impact our lives to institutions in which we have no say?
All the major problems today—from a healthcare system that prioritizes profits over well-being to the rise of ultranationalism—are rooted in an economic system that fails to serve the common good. In this revelatory manifesto, Mattei sets out a revolutionary vision that may one day allow us to achieve true economic freedom and finally escape from capitalism.
- GenresEconomicsNonfiction
224 pages, Hardcover
Published January 27, 2026
18 people are currently reading
308 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
February 3, 2026
Escape from capitalism - seriously? It sounds like such a novel concept though – doesn’t it? Don’t get me wrong, I love the “idea” of it because capitalism in the US has been failing the majority of Americans for wwwaaayyy too long. That is just one of the major failings of capitalism, and that certainly cannot go on for very much longer. Something needs to be done! However, capitalism is so entrenched into not only the US, but the global economic system that the process of how to even begin to transition into another way of life is such an inconceivable fantasy. At least for me it is and figuring out how to escape capitalism is way over my head. I won’t see it in my lifetime, but I hope that later generations can find a better system that works for the majority of Americans and not just the small percentage of capital titans and their capital class clients securely stationed at the top of the social class structure.
“What would happen if the majority of people realized that in the last three years, about two-thirds of the wealth created has gone into the hands of 1% of the global population?”
First and foremost, it’s not like that is some kind of classified secret, Ms Mattei. I highly suspect that a majority of people already know this, and the outcome of the last election is confirmation of what a majority of Americans chose to do with their vote – elect a corrupt and incompetent moron to drive this country further into decline. I don’t have a clue on how to escape capitalism, but based on where we are, I think a good place to start is to get people in charge that do have a clue as well as a plan. For a majority of us, that will probably start with being a whole lot smarter about how we use our votes and voices.
In the book summary, Mattei introduces just a few of her reasons of why capitalism is in desperate need of an “intervention”. Personally, I think “intervention” is a little staid. Being nice and civilized doesn’t seem to work with the powers that be that simply do not want a more equitable system that works for the majority of Americans. The encompassing 244pgs become her manifesto of why we the people, those of us that capitalism is failing, need to be a part of this "intervention” movement to create a system that will work for most of us and not just a select and fortunate few.
“modern democratic liberalism is rooted in the idea that there can be substantially different approaches to managing our economy. All the parties that govern us, regardless of their political leanings, accept the capitalist context in which they operate as an indisputable premise.”
And therein lies the problem that Ms Mattei lays out for us. However, I still believe that a good place to begin our journey for redefining our economic system into one that actually serves the majority of Americans is to start electing people who actually have a sound and realistic plan to serve the majority of people who desperately want and need change. I had mixed feelings about this book almost from the get-go. I’m looking at an overall rating of 2.5 that I’m not really feeling compelled to round up. I want to thank NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for sending me this eARC in exchange for my honest review.
#NetGalley #Simon&Schuster #EscapefromCapitalism
“What would happen if the majority of people realized that in the last three years, about two-thirds of the wealth created has gone into the hands of 1% of the global population?”
First and foremost, it’s not like that is some kind of classified secret, Ms Mattei. I highly suspect that a majority of people already know this, and the outcome of the last election is confirmation of what a majority of Americans chose to do with their vote – elect a corrupt and incompetent moron to drive this country further into decline. I don’t have a clue on how to escape capitalism, but based on where we are, I think a good place to start is to get people in charge that do have a clue as well as a plan. For a majority of us, that will probably start with being a whole lot smarter about how we use our votes and voices.
In the book summary, Mattei introduces just a few of her reasons of why capitalism is in desperate need of an “intervention”. Personally, I think “intervention” is a little staid. Being nice and civilized doesn’t seem to work with the powers that be that simply do not want a more equitable system that works for the majority of Americans. The encompassing 244pgs become her manifesto of why we the people, those of us that capitalism is failing, need to be a part of this "intervention” movement to create a system that will work for most of us and not just a select and fortunate few.
“modern democratic liberalism is rooted in the idea that there can be substantially different approaches to managing our economy. All the parties that govern us, regardless of their political leanings, accept the capitalist context in which they operate as an indisputable premise.”
And therein lies the problem that Ms Mattei lays out for us. However, I still believe that a good place to begin our journey for redefining our economic system into one that actually serves the majority of Americans is to start electing people who actually have a sound and realistic plan to serve the majority of people who desperately want and need change. I had mixed feelings about this book almost from the get-go. I’m looking at an overall rating of 2.5 that I’m not really feeling compelled to round up. I want to thank NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for sending me this eARC in exchange for my honest review.
#NetGalley #Simon&Schuster #EscapefromCapitalism
August 20, 2025
I can’t remember the last time I had so much fun reading an economics book. Clara Mattei’s passion (and anger at the current system we live in) is infectious, and the mix of historical accounts with present situations and more political/philosophical reflections on what do we truly want as humans, as well as the necessity to redefine “freedom” are highly compelling.
Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the ARC!
Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the ARC!
November 18, 2025
Thank you to Simon & Schuster for the e-ARC.
“Capitalism has no vision for humanity.”
Leftist economic political theory? Let’s fuckinggggggg go.
This was my first reading of Mattei’s writing and I found the arguments to be interesting and approachable. The primary caveat being that this will be most informative to a reader who is already familiar with leftist political theory and leftist economic theory. If you’re not, reading an introductory work—like Confronting Capitalism by Vivek Chibber or even Marx For Beginners by Rius—will be helpful in enabling a reader’s understanding of the concepts.
For their part, Mattei is a clear and engaging writer. If you’re concerned about a dry, academic tone, don’t be. Each chapter expands upon an economic concept, its origins and impact, and is anchored with an example of the human cost of capitalism. Mattei doesn’t shy away from chastising traditional “perfect market” economists, like the Chicago Boys, for ignoring the impossibility of divorcing economics from political institutions and market realities. Mattei also explores capitalism’s ties to fascism, through historical examples of Italy’s economic developments and worker repression under Mussolini and ties the impact back to present day. For example:
“It is common among well-meaning liberals to point fingers at the likes of Donald Trump, Viktor Orbán, and Giorgia Meloni as bad actors. But the strong parallels between the economic policies of Mussolini’s fascist regime and the British government of the 1920s dissolves the reassuring distinction between right-wing authoritarian governments and liberal democracy. This blurred distinction is more common than we might think in the recent history of capitalism.”
Similarly, Mattei has a chapter of condemnation for the state of Israel and its violent capitalist subjugation and colonization of the Palestinian people:
“The relationship of Israel with the Palestinian territories vividly illustrates how the capitalist wealth of developed nations is built on the subjugation of weaker economies.”
More to the point, however, Mattei is successful at illustrating how citizens are forced to opt into the capitalist system while simultaneously being left with minimal resources to challenge it:
“As the state dismantles health care, education, social housing, transportation, and public services, we must worry about having money in our pockets to meet our basic needs.”
“how can we find the strength to participate in any collective initiative toward alternative economic structures or even just protect our rights?”
I enjoyed this book and will certainly look into Mattei’s other work, The Capital Order.
“Capitalism has no vision for humanity.”
Leftist economic political theory? Let’s fuckinggggggg go.
This was my first reading of Mattei’s writing and I found the arguments to be interesting and approachable. The primary caveat being that this will be most informative to a reader who is already familiar with leftist political theory and leftist economic theory. If you’re not, reading an introductory work—like Confronting Capitalism by Vivek Chibber or even Marx For Beginners by Rius—will be helpful in enabling a reader’s understanding of the concepts.
For their part, Mattei is a clear and engaging writer. If you’re concerned about a dry, academic tone, don’t be. Each chapter expands upon an economic concept, its origins and impact, and is anchored with an example of the human cost of capitalism. Mattei doesn’t shy away from chastising traditional “perfect market” economists, like the Chicago Boys, for ignoring the impossibility of divorcing economics from political institutions and market realities. Mattei also explores capitalism’s ties to fascism, through historical examples of Italy’s economic developments and worker repression under Mussolini and ties the impact back to present day. For example:
“It is common among well-meaning liberals to point fingers at the likes of Donald Trump, Viktor Orbán, and Giorgia Meloni as bad actors. But the strong parallels between the economic policies of Mussolini’s fascist regime and the British government of the 1920s dissolves the reassuring distinction between right-wing authoritarian governments and liberal democracy. This blurred distinction is more common than we might think in the recent history of capitalism.”
Similarly, Mattei has a chapter of condemnation for the state of Israel and its violent capitalist subjugation and colonization of the Palestinian people:
“The relationship of Israel with the Palestinian territories vividly illustrates how the capitalist wealth of developed nations is built on the subjugation of weaker economies.”
More to the point, however, Mattei is successful at illustrating how citizens are forced to opt into the capitalist system while simultaneously being left with minimal resources to challenge it:
“As the state dismantles health care, education, social housing, transportation, and public services, we must worry about having money in our pockets to meet our basic needs.”
“how can we find the strength to participate in any collective initiative toward alternative economic structures or even just protect our rights?”
I enjoyed this book and will certainly look into Mattei’s other work, The Capital Order.
February 8, 2026
The promise of a book "for fans of Bernie Sanders and Thomas Piketty" was an easy sell for me. While I find Sanders immensely likable and Piketty a titan of intellectual gravitas, Clara Mattei’s short manifesto unfortunately fails to bridge the gap between political rhetoric and rigorous economic critique. As someone whose shelves are lined with titles like Naomi Klein’s This Changes Everything and John Cassidy’s Capitalism and Its Critics, I entered this read as a sympathetic ally. However, the execution was so flawed it nearly sent me into a defensive stance for the very system she aims to dismantle.
Mattei’s primary weakness lies in her tendency to blame capitalism for every modern ailment without establishing causal links. Early on, she attempts to "prove" capitalism causes wealth inequality by pointing to the US and UK. Her logic follows a shaky path: The US and UK are capitalist; they have high inequality; therefore, capitalism is the cause.
This is a textbook logical fallacy. It’s akin to saying: "Ostriches and emus are birds; both are flightless; therefore, birds cannot fly." This ignores the existence of capitalist Scandinavian models with robust social safety nets and low inequality, and fails to account for the role of specific fiscal policies.
The author treats capitalism and the "capitalist class" as an insidious conspiracy. In reality, as Mattei herself briefly admits, capitalism is an amoral, self-selecting algorithm. It is designed to provide products and services at the lowest cost within a specific legal framework while maximising profit.
Calling this "immoral" is like calling gravity "immoral." Both are amoral forces. The morality must be infused by us—the economic and political agents. Every purchase is a moral vote. We are not "forced" to use Amazon or specific grocery chains; those are choices.
As Matthew Desmond brilliantly argued in Poverty, by America, wealth inequality is often a deliberate political decision rather than an inevitability of the market.
Instead of a nuanced look at alternatives or a roadmap for political reform, Mattei offers a repetitive drone against "the system." If you want to fix austerity or inequality, you must start by fixing the political framework that governs the market.
Caveat Lector: Read this as a brief intellectual appetizer if you must, but quickly follow it with a more mature, rigorous work of criticism if you want to actually understand the "crisis" of our age.
Mattei’s primary weakness lies in her tendency to blame capitalism for every modern ailment without establishing causal links. Early on, she attempts to "prove" capitalism causes wealth inequality by pointing to the US and UK. Her logic follows a shaky path: The US and UK are capitalist; they have high inequality; therefore, capitalism is the cause.
This is a textbook logical fallacy. It’s akin to saying: "Ostriches and emus are birds; both are flightless; therefore, birds cannot fly." This ignores the existence of capitalist Scandinavian models with robust social safety nets and low inequality, and fails to account for the role of specific fiscal policies.
The author treats capitalism and the "capitalist class" as an insidious conspiracy. In reality, as Mattei herself briefly admits, capitalism is an amoral, self-selecting algorithm. It is designed to provide products and services at the lowest cost within a specific legal framework while maximising profit.
Calling this "immoral" is like calling gravity "immoral." Both are amoral forces. The morality must be infused by us—the economic and political agents. Every purchase is a moral vote. We are not "forced" to use Amazon or specific grocery chains; those are choices.
As Matthew Desmond brilliantly argued in Poverty, by America, wealth inequality is often a deliberate political decision rather than an inevitability of the market.
Instead of a nuanced look at alternatives or a roadmap for political reform, Mattei offers a repetitive drone against "the system." If you want to fix austerity or inequality, you must start by fixing the political framework that governs the market.
Caveat Lector: Read this as a brief intellectual appetizer if you must, but quickly follow it with a more mature, rigorous work of criticism if you want to actually understand the "crisis" of our age.
January 31, 2026
Thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the eARC of this book.
Most people can imagine the end of the world before they can envision the end of capitalism (or something). This book will help them do that.
It’s weird to me that people any younger than 50 hold dearly onto the notion of capitalism as unchallengeable. The vast majority of the time, this is said by someone who has ‘won’ in this system, and accrued a great deal of capital, and “it is impossible to convince a man of something when his livelihood is dependent on him not understanding it” as the old phrase goes.
This book is short and razor sharp, cutting to the core of the issue and not relenting until the end of the book, elucidating: all capital represents the difference between the value one person produced and the value they accumulated from that labor, which was not equal. This at its core is the precise exploitation all capitalism structurally must maintain, between employer and employee, global north to global south, oppressor to oppressed, etc.
The second invective is leveled at the austerity measures put in place, and the concomitant additional measures and outcomes: mandatory ‘natural’ unemployment, effects on interest rates, privatization and anti-nationalization, cutting of social services and putting blame on the individual consumer, and finally the fundamental incompatibility of social democratic governance with the mandate to support the structural economic order.
I am so glad books like this exist, particularly when they are this clear and well written. Everything should be challenged. Everything should be questioned.
Most people can imagine the end of the world before they can envision the end of capitalism (or something). This book will help them do that.
It’s weird to me that people any younger than 50 hold dearly onto the notion of capitalism as unchallengeable. The vast majority of the time, this is said by someone who has ‘won’ in this system, and accrued a great deal of capital, and “it is impossible to convince a man of something when his livelihood is dependent on him not understanding it” as the old phrase goes.
This book is short and razor sharp, cutting to the core of the issue and not relenting until the end of the book, elucidating: all capital represents the difference between the value one person produced and the value they accumulated from that labor, which was not equal. This at its core is the precise exploitation all capitalism structurally must maintain, between employer and employee, global north to global south, oppressor to oppressed, etc.
The second invective is leveled at the austerity measures put in place, and the concomitant additional measures and outcomes: mandatory ‘natural’ unemployment, effects on interest rates, privatization and anti-nationalization, cutting of social services and putting blame on the individual consumer, and finally the fundamental incompatibility of social democratic governance with the mandate to support the structural economic order.
I am so glad books like this exist, particularly when they are this clear and well written. Everything should be challenged. Everything should be questioned.
August 15, 2025
Dense but Necessary Reading for Economic Rebels
Clara E. Mattei’s Escape from Capitalism is a passionate critique of the economic system we live in—and the myths that keep it in place. She makes a compelling argument that unemployment, poverty, and wage suppression are not flaws in capitalism, but features that maintain its grip.
I loved the way the book connected past and present, showing how post-WWI economic “science” was deliberately designed to keep ordinary people out of the decision-making process. There’s a lot here for fans of Bernie Sanders and Thomas Piketty to chew on.
Be prepared, though—this isn’t light reading. The text leans academic, and some chapters require extra focus to digest. Still, if you’re willing to engage, the ideas here are vital for anyone who’s ever questioned whether there might be a better way forward.
Clara E. Mattei’s Escape from Capitalism is a passionate critique of the economic system we live in—and the myths that keep it in place. She makes a compelling argument that unemployment, poverty, and wage suppression are not flaws in capitalism, but features that maintain its grip.
I loved the way the book connected past and present, showing how post-WWI economic “science” was deliberately designed to keep ordinary people out of the decision-making process. There’s a lot here for fans of Bernie Sanders and Thomas Piketty to chew on.
Be prepared, though—this isn’t light reading. The text leans academic, and some chapters require extra focus to digest. Still, if you’re willing to engage, the ideas here are vital for anyone who’s ever questioned whether there might be a better way forward.
January 31, 2026
Thank you to LibroFM for the advanced listening copy.
When capitalism suits those that rule there seems little hope for an alternative to be established. This book makes total sense to me and I would like to live in a world that didn't work for the fortunate few to the detriment of the majority.
We are all sold the lie that capitalism is the only way yet after reading Yanis Varoufakis's Another Now and being involved with a small company trying to encourage businesses to think more of their purpose than their profit, it is reassuring to know that there is a movement of people thinking outside the bounds of corporate and individuals greed in their quest for wealth and profit.
When capitalism suits those that rule there seems little hope for an alternative to be established. This book makes total sense to me and I would like to live in a world that didn't work for the fortunate few to the detriment of the majority.
We are all sold the lie that capitalism is the only way yet after reading Yanis Varoufakis's Another Now and being involved with a small company trying to encourage businesses to think more of their purpose than their profit, it is reassuring to know that there is a movement of people thinking outside the bounds of corporate and individuals greed in their quest for wealth and profit.
September 26, 2025
Very effective at arguing WHY we should escape capitalism, lighter on the HOW (or IF it's even possible). Highly recommend for anyone interest in the economics of capitalism and why it fails the majority of people while claiming to help them.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews