The Locust and the Bee: Predators and Creators in Capitalism's Future

by Geoff Mulgan

How to harness capitalism's dynamism to create an economy that promotes well-being and rewards creationThe recent economic crisis was a dramatic reminder that capitalism can both produce and destroy. It's a system that by its very nature encourages predators and creators, locusts and bees. But, as Geoff Mulgan argues in this compelling, imaginative, and important book, the economic crisis also presents a historic opportunity to choose a radically different future for capitalism, one that maximizes its creative power and minimizes its destructive force.In an engaging and wide-ranging argument, Mulgan digs into the history of capitalism across the world to show its animating ideas, its utopias and dystopias, as well as its contradictions and possibilities. Drawing on a subtle framework for understanding systemic change, he shows how new political settlements reshaped capitalism in the past and are likely to do so in the future. By reconnecting value to real-life ideas of growth, he argues, efficiency and entrepreneurship can be harnessed to promote better lives and relationships rather than just a growth in the quantity of material consumption. Healthcare, education, and green industries are already becoming dominant sectors in the wealthier economies, and the fields of social innovation, enterprise, and investment are rapidly moving into the mainstream—all indicators of how capital could be made more of a servant and less a master.This is a book for anyone who wonders where capitalism might be heading next—and who wants to help make sure that its future avoids the mistakes of the past. This edition of The Locust and the Bee includes a new afterword in which the author lays out some of the key challenges facing capitalism in the twenty-first century.

Genres: Nonfiction, Politics, Economics

346 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2013

About the author

Geoff Mulgan is director of the Young Foundation. Between 1997 and 2004 he worked in the UK Prime Minister’s office and Cabinet Office and before that was the founding director of the thinktank Demos. He is a Visiting Professor at LSE, UCL, Melbourne University and the China Executive Leadership Academy. He also works as a part time adviser to Prime Minister Kevin Rudd in Australia. His latest book is The Art of Public Strategy: mobilising power and knowledge for the
common good

Reviews

[Mehrsa · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good contemplation on the future and past of capitalism. It is not just data or history or analysis, but really just some good thoughts on the goods and ills of capitalism. Capitalism is both predatory and creative and it is perhaps out of balance. We need to break with the dogma that capitalism is the only model that works--the first step of breaking out of this mindset is to recognize that the system we have is not necessarily capitalism. There is a lot of state involvement and competition is not robust due to the predation of monopoly power. In the end of the book, he says that society used to imagine that it was always going to live under a monarchy and they were making those pronouncement as that system was crumbling.

[Antonio · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting analysis of capitalism but very cautious forecast where are we heading and what would next society look like.

Capitalism is divided between locust predatory character which only consumes resources and the bee character which creates. It has whole chapter about financial crisis 2008/2009 as imminent feature of capitalism and in which could we refer for present Corona crisis and recession which is coming.

So this is my assessment of this book The Locust and the Bee by Geoff Mulgan according to my 7 criteria:
1. Related to practice - 5 stars
2. It prevails important - 4 stars
3. I agree with the read - 4 stars
4. not difficult to read (as for non English native) - 3 stars
5. too long and boring story or every sentence is interesting - 3 stars
6. Learning opportunity - 4 stars
7. Dry and uninspired style of writing - Smooth style with humouristic and fun parts - 3 stars - the tempo accelerates throughout the book

Total 3.71 stars

[Annikky · Rating 4 out of 5]

An intelligent book on the future of capitalism from Tony Blair's former Policy Director (don't hold that against him). I enjoyed his simultaneous enthusiasm for/criticism of capitalism and truly impressive breath of themes and references. I found the analysis of past and present to be more convincing than the predictions, but that is probably inevitable. The book is slightly too long, although I often enjoyed the least relevant parts the most. Mulgan is also a bit too idealistic, but then again, so am I.

[R.J. Gilmour · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Alexis de Tocqueville's summary of American democracy serves well as a summary of this spirit of capitalism: "What the few have today, the many will demand tomorrow." 48

"Oscar Wilde wrote provocatively in The Soul of Man Under Socialism' that...just as the worst slave-owners were those who were kind to their slaves and so prevented the horror of the system being realized by those who suffered from it...so in the present state of things in England the people who do the most harm are the people who try to do the most good...charity creates a multitude of sins....It is immoral to use private property in order to alleviate the horrible events that result from the institution of private property." 84

"One of Oscar Wilde's most famous quips suggested that "a map of the world that does not include utopia is not worth even glancing at, for it leaves out the one country at which Humanity is always landing. And when Humanity lands there, it looks out, and, seeing a better country sets sail." 104

[Michal Paszkiewicz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very well researched book on capitalism that suggests that the system self-learns and self-heals. It is argued that it can be improved within its own parameters, and that activism for alternative economic systems can actually benefit it, change it and strengthen it. The author searches for methods that will drive away the predators of capitalism and allow the system to truly benefit creators and makers, and suggests ways of promoting value and results as a final good instead of capital intrinsically taking that place.

A very necessary read for all those people who look cynically at capitalism, maybe they can be turned towards trying to improve it, instead of condemning it.

[Adam · Rating 4 out of 5]

A relatively light book that reads like a conversation you may have with a professor or peer. I think Mulgan's greatest accomplishment in this book is presenting strengths and weaknesses of our capitalist systems while reminding the reader that capitalism in itself is not inherently the problem as much as the predatory systems it has fostered.

[Dio Mavroyannis · Rating 2 out of 5]

Though there are some interesting references here they are so poorly explained there is no scarcely any point in reading the book. It's just a set of assertions without trying to unpack why they are true or even plausible. It seems like the guy is just trying to list a bunch of books he read, without giving any interesting commentary on them. Also constantly references religions and literature without explaining how these actually touched on something important.

[Benjamin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Rarely have I encountered a book with generally sound ideas that I found less engrossing. I have great respect for Mulgan as a public thinker, and his ideas aren't wrong, but they're so slick, soulless and uninspiringly expressed that my eye kept slipping off the page. It ended up taking me months to finish this book, as I just never had the desire to read more. returnreturnIn some ways reading this book is the classic New Labour experience (Mulgan was an adviser to Tony Blair): the chapter headings ("Outgrowing Capitalism") promise so much, but in the end it's full of bland and inoffensive policy solutions, without any grist, historical complexity or adherence to the canon of left wing writing. Unlike Blair himself though, who could dress up crap ideas in winderful cadence, Mulgan has written about (other people's) brilliant ideas in platitudes and soulless syntax. Shame.

[Kevin Murray · Rating 3 out of 5]

Multan is a wonderful writer who generously shares his gems with the reader. His overview of the scene is carefully balanced, aiming to suggest that the future is up for grabs. It's not an analytic book, leaving no structural framework to predict the future. it left me a little hungry.

[Bob Mcinnis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mulgan makes some good observations early in the book but belabors then for 6 additionbal chapters