In The Permanent Problem, Brink Lindsey reshapes our understanding of the vital but complex relationship between material prosperity and human flourishing. The advanced capitalist democracies of the 21st century are the richest, freest, healthiest, best educated, and best governed societies in history. Why then does it seem like everything is falling apart? Economic stagnation is spreading, class divisions are deepening, birth rates are collapsing, mental health problems are on the rise, faith in democracy is in decline, and pessimism about the future abounds.In The Permanent Problem, Brink Lindsey argues that these gathering difficulties reflect the stresses and strains of a great and uncompleted historical transition-from mass material prosperity to mass human flourishing. Capitalism''s immense productive powers have raised our expectations of what life can be, but for most of us reality is coming up short. What''s more, the arrival of mass prosperity has pushed both economic and cultural change in directions that make the transition to mass flourishing much harder to achieve.According to Lindsey, 21st century capitalism is in the grip of three interrelated crises: a crisis of inclusion, as vital social ties and personal connections are breaking down; a crisis of dynamism, as capitalism''s engines of innovation and wealth creation have begun to sputter and seize; and a crisis of politics, as the mechanisms for collective decision-making needed to address capitalism''s growing problems have been degraded by the very same dynamics that underlie those problems.A much brighter future is possible, and Lindsey charts an intriguing path to get there. There is no need to concoct a radical new social system. Instead, capitalism needs to be refocused on its core mission of extending the technological frontier, and rebalanced through the revitalization of face-to-face communities. Weaving together insights from history, economics, sociology, and philosophy, The Permanent Problem offers a synoptic overview of our fateful present moment and a provocative glimpse at what may lie ahead.
Industry Reviews
"In this thought-provoking book, Brink Lindsey deepens the intellectual conversation about abundance. Examining the 'crisis of dynamism' that stifles growth and the 'crisis of inclusion' that limits its beneficiaries, he makes a compelling case that much greater, more widespread abundance is both possible and essential. But human flourishing, he argues, depends crucially on how we navigate the path to that better future. Whatever you think of his proposed
cures, Lindsey's diagnosis demands attention." -- Virginia Postrel, Author of The Future and Its Enemies and The Fabric of Civilization
"This book has a gloomy title and a lot of gloomy content. Amazingly enough, though, it left me feeling hopeful and optimistic. Brink Lindsey makes a resounding case that we have everything we need to solve our problems-deep as they are-and that doing so doesn't require either economic totalitarianism or anarchy. Read The Permanent Problem, and you'll come away both informed and energized." -- Andrew McAfee, Author of The Geek Way and More
from Less
"Why has unparalleled material and technological progress led to global disappointment instead of mass flourishing? Combining a sweeping command of history with rich insight into our societies and souls, one of today's most original and uncategorizable thinkers offers an arresting answer: without repudiating capitalism, we must redirect it from consumption to connection. In The Permanent Problem, Brink Lindsey charts the path toward a new economy-one
based on 'abundance at human scale.'" -- Jonathan Rauch, Author of Cross Purposes and The Constitution of Knowledge
"Humanity today is far wealthier than it has ever been before. Thus, economics needs to shift to a new terrain-from 'how to produce more' to 'how to utilize our resources and skills to live wisely and well.' And here Brink Lindsey is the best pathfinder I know." -- J. Bradford DeLong, Author of Slouching Towards Utopia
"The Permanent Problem is worth your time... we need more, not fewer, liberal thinkers to tackle the challenge of imagining new and hopefully better directions for the liberal project." -- Jonathan Rauch, UnPopulist
"Some of the smartest people in the policy world are incapable of clearly conveying their ideas. Lindsey is not one of them. He is an exceptional, methodical, well-organized thinker. And, in his case, those skills convey to the written page...Read The Permanent Problem." -- Dan Ikenson, Forbes
