Gary Engler — Tinkering With Capitalism

Is Thomas Piketty’s Capital in the 21st Century a left-wing book? 

Yes and no. It depends on how you define left wing.

If you believe the litmus test of being “left” is opposition to capitalism then the book may be interesting and important, but it is not left wing. If, on the other hand, you believe capitalism is a dynamic economic system worth preserving, but in need of a tune-up, you would likely have a different answer. In the range of political/economic opinion allowed in the corporate North American media the book is certainly at the left end of the spectrum.

But perhaps there is another more important question to consider. Is the book useful, including to those who think an alternative to capitalism is both desirable and necessary? And the answer is an unequivocal yes.

Strangely, it’s not primarily for the reason you may think, if all you know about the work is what you have read or heard in the mainstream media....

Counterpunch
Tinkering With Capitalism
Gary Engler