logo

52 pages 1 hour read

Robert B. Reich

Saving Capitalism: For the Many, Not the Few

Nonfiction | Book | Adult | Published in 2015

A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.

Important Quotes

Quotation Mark Icon

“The threat to capitalism is no longer communism or fascism but a steady undermining of the trust modern societies need for growth and stability.”


(Introduction, Page xii)

In his Introduction, Reich points out the sharp decline of confidence in the economic system, which stems from the fact that many think the economic and political systems seem rigged to favor those at the top. He explains that when people stop believing that they have a fair chance, the tacit social contract begins to unravel.

Quotation Mark Icon

“Few ideas have more profoundly poisoned the minds of more people than the notion of a ‘free market’ existing somewhere in the universe, into which government ‘intrudes.’”


(Chapter 1, Page 3)

Reich is alluding to the common arguments that the free market is better at doing something than the government and that what one is paid is simply a measure of what one is worth in the market. He argues that with this view, any inequality and insecurity that the market generates is natural and inevitable.

Quotation Mark Icon

“A market—any market—requires that government make and enforce the rules of the game.”


(Chapter 1, Page 5)

This passage encapsulates a key point that Reich makes throughout Saving Capitalism: that there can be no free market without government because the rules that govern the market are human made. These rules, in modern democracies, come from legislatures, courts, and administrative agencies.

blurred text
blurred text
blurred text
blurred text
blurred text
blurred text
blurred text
blurred text
Unlock IconUnlock all 52 pages of this Study Guide
Plus, gain access to 8,650+ more expert-written Study Guides.
Including features:
+ Mobile App
+ Printable PDF
+ Literary AI Tools