late capitalism

English

Alternative forms

• late-stage capitalism, late stage capitalism

Etymology

Calque of German Spätkapitalismus, attributed to German economist Werner Sombart and later popularized by Marxist economist Ernest Mandel.

Noun

late capitalism (countable and uncountable, plural late capitalisms)

1. The most recent or current form of capitalism, especially as characterized by monopoly, globalization, exploitation, and excess.
   • 1993, Linda Singer, Judith Butler, Maureen MacGrogan, Erotic Welfare: Sexual Theory and Politics in the Age of Epidemic, →ISBN:

     The genius of late capitalism is the development of strategies for managing and profiting by its own excess.

   • 2008, Laura Elaine Hudson, The Apocalyptic Animal of Late Capitalism, →ISBN, page 13:

     The "schizoanalysis" of Deleuze and Guattari further brings the film into conversation with Gregory Bateson's analysis of schizophrenia and the environment in Steps to an Ecology of Mind, wrapping up with an examination of the film as a product of late capitalism.

   • 2009, Mark Fisher, Capitalist Realism: Is There No Alternative?, Kindle edition, Zero Books, →ISBN, page 25:

     If, then, something like attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is a pathology, it is a pathology of late capitalism – a consequence of being wired into the entertainment-control circuits of hypermediated consumer culture.

   • 2014, Paul S. Chung, Church and Ethical Responsibility in the Midst of World Economy, →ISBN, page xvii:

     An ideology of technological rationalism in the globalization of late capitalism appears to be a specific example of reification; it has the function of the mystifying concealment of social conflict, contradiction, and war.

   • 2017 May 1, Annie Lowrey, “Why the Phrase 'Late Capitalism' Is Suddenly Everywhere”, in The Atlantic‎^[2]:

     Those cerebral outlets helped to fuel renewed interest in Marx and critical theory, as well as late capitalism. David Graeber, a leading figure in Occupy and the coiner of the phrase “We are the 99 percent,” for instance, wrote a long essay for The Baffler that touched on Jameson, Mandel, corporate profitability, flying cars, and, of course, late capitalism.

Related terms

• late capitalist

Translations

form of capitalism

• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 晚期資本主義／晚期资本主义 (wǎnqī zīběnzhǔyì)

• Danish: senkapitalisme c
• Finnish: myöhäiskapitalismi (fi)
• French: capitalisme tardif m
• German: Spätkapitalismus (de) m
• Portuguese: capitalismo tardio m
• Swedish: senkapitalism c

See also

• hypercapitalism
• supercapitalism

Further reading

• late capitalism on Wikipedia.Wikipedia