The shift of manufacturing away from the West allied to the pressure to keep costs down, has led to economic inequality, service industry employment and public sector austerity. This short book makes a connection between recent 'tectonic shifts' in the world economy and the political problems currently confronted by western democracies. "Gavin Kitching has written a readable and accessible introduction to questions concerning economic inequality, globalisation, and the contemporary problems of capitalism and democracy. Kitching goes beyond an exploration of these issues to develop proposals for regulating global capitalism. This book should be essential reading for anyone interested in understanding the impact of transnational capitalism on inequality and democracy." Marc Williams, UNSW Sydney. "Gavin Kitching is a clear and courageous thinker, who brings philosophy, ethics, history and economics together in an analysis of the future of democracy that gives us lucid reasons for hope." - Michael Ignatieff, President, Central European University "Capitalism and Democracy in theTwenty-First Century: A Global Future Beyond Nationalism is a most timely, important and original book. The author is much influenced by late Wittgenstein and inspired by Eric Hobsbawm. He has a philosopher's take on the major events and issues that confront the modern world - the rise of giant multinational oligopolies, the impact of globalisation, deregulation of capital markets, decline in trust of politicians and democratic institutions, and climate change. Using empirical findings on all these happenings, he conjectures about what may happen, and about what needs to (and can) be done about them. He draws on his critical understanding of modern economics and philosophical ideas. Altogether, this is a must-read for serious professionals and citizens deeply concerned about what is happening around them." - Geoffrey C. Harcourt, UNSW Sydney