A fascinating study of the legal underpinnings of capitalism reasons why the system must be
transformed and actions we can take Even though capitalism has been conventionally
described as an economic system it is actually a deeply entrenched legal regime. Law provides
the material for coding simple objects promises and ideas as capital assets. It also provides
the means for avoiding the legal constraints that societies have frequently imposed on
capitalism. Often lauded for creating levels of wealth unprecedented in human history
capitalism is also largely responsible for the two greatest problems now confronting humanity:
the erosion of social and political cohesion which undermines democratic self-governance and
the threats that emanate from climate change. By exploring the ways that Western legal
systems empower individuals to advance their interests against society Katharina Pistor
reveals how capitalism is an unsustainable system designed to foster inequity. She offers ideas
for rethinking how the transformation of the law and the economy can help us create a more just
system—before it is too late.
