An interesting read that lacks a strong conclusion or takeaway. Yes, Streeck does a great job of showing our path from social democracy to consolidation state via neoliberalism. The chapter that focuses on the incompatibility of capitalism and democracy is the strongest aspect of the book and worth the price of admission alone.

The reason for three stars is his unwillingness to propose a potential solution for the income gap and the mounting obligations of the debt states. He briefly mentions getting rid of globalization and re-embedding democracy, but then immediately accepts the futility of such a notion. I won’t even bring up his “forecast” of a turbulent future with an under-governmented society (if I remember correctly that was his exact term).

His observations are well presented but are certainly not ground breaking. I give him big bonus points, however, for recognizing the failure of the welfare state - a significant admission from an economist who genuinely fears Hayekinism and favors redistribution.

A good work, but there was some meat left on the bone.