Hans van Zon analyzes the financialization of developed capitalism, and argues that the emergence of finance as a dominant force has contributed to the relative decline of the West. He demonstrates that the neo-liberal model is inherently unstable and undermines capitalist economies, which can only function if they are embedded in institutions that are non- or even pre-capitalist. He shows how a toxic combination of financialization, corporate globalization, and a deregulated and parasitic financial industry have led to structural economic stagnation in both the USA and the greater part of the EU.

Hans van Zon is Professor Emeritus at the University of Sunderland, UK. His publications include Russia's Development Problem (2008, Palgrave Macmillan), The Political Economy of Independent Ukraine (2000, Palgrave Macmillan), The Future of Industry in Central and Eastern Europe (1996), and Alternative Scenarios for Central Europe (1994).