The End of Organized Capitalism argues that—despite Marx’s and Weber’s insistence that capitalist societies become increasingly more ordered—we now live in an era of “disorganized capitalism.” The book is devoted to a systematic examination of the shift to disorganized capitalism in five Western nations (Britain, the United States, France, West Germany, and Sweden). Through the analysis of space, class, and culture, Lash and Urry portray the restructuring of capitalist social relations that has resulted from this disorganization. They adduce evidence for the claims that in each of the nations there is a movement toward a deconcentration of capital within nation-states; toward the increased separation of banks, industry and the state; and toward the redistribution of productive relations and class-relevant residential patterns.
    The authors also show that national disparities in contemporary, disorganized capitalism can be understood through close examination of the extent to which, and mode in which, capitalism became historically organized in each of the five countries under consideration.
    The lucid arguments and judicious comparisons in this book will be of great interest to political scientists, sociologists, geographers, economists, and historians.

 

Scott Lash is professor of sociology and cultural studies at Goldsmiths College at the University of London. John Urry is distinguished professor of sociology at Lancaster University. Together, they have written works on economic and social change, including Economies of Signs and Space.