Apocalypse Capitalism - by John Preston (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

Available open access digitally under CC-BY-NC-ND licence.

Is it easier to imagine the end of the world than the end of capitalism?

Drawing on extensive archival research in the UK and the US, this book uncovers how Cold War planners planned to keep capitalism alive even after a nuclear apocalypse.

Through scenario planning, US officials anticipated capitalist recovery, while UK strategies prioritised preserving elite power and restoring the class system.

By tracing these contrasting imaginaries, the book reveals how capitalism is projected beyond the apocalypse and explores alternative economic futures that emerge when the unthinkable is taken seriously.

Review Quotes

'They planned for the end of the world, but not the end of profit. This archive-shattering book is an urgent, terrifying look at the deep state's capitalist survival fix.' Ali Rıza Taşkale, Roskilde University

About the Author

John Preston is Emeritus Professor of Sociology in the Department of Sociology and Criminology at the University of Essex.