Late-Stage Capitalism? Accumulation in the Ruins

The current matrix of capital accumulation is shifting—but what comes next? New terms abound: plutocratic plunder, political capitalism, techno-feudalism, techno-futurism. Some envision a new “habitation economy” where non-standardized services replace commodity production. Others warn of an unstable interregnum, with authoritarian states fusing with far-right movements. The common image is of a capitalist class barricaded in securitized enclaves, shielded from climate chaos and the anger of dislocated, hyper-stressed workers.

This volume untangles these competing themes, identifying key trends, contradictions, and conflicts at the heart of “late-stage capitalism.” What does Donald Trump’s return to the presidency signal about this new phase? How are these shifts reshaping state power, institutional practices, and global markets?

Amid trade wars and geopolitical rivalries, how is the US empire being reinforced—or resisted? Most importantly, where is the left finding new political spaces amidst the economic ruins? These are the urgent questions the essays in this volume confront.