The Downfall of Capitalism and Communism
| Author | Ravi Batra |
|---|---|
| Original title |
The Downfall of Capitalism and Communism A New Study of History |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Subject | Socio-political evolution |
| Publisher | Venus Books (1st Ed.) ISBN 0-333-21645-8 & Macmillan Publishers (2nd Ed.) ISBN 0-939352-09-5 |
Publication date | May 1978 & January 1990 |
| Media type | Print (Hardback) |
| Pages | 350 (1990) |
The Downfall of Capitalism and Communism is a book by Ravi Batra in the field of historical evolution, first published in 1978. The book's full title is The Downfall of Capitalism and Communism: A New Study of History. Following the collapse of Soviet Communism in 1990, a 2nd edition was published with the title The Downfall of Capitalism and Communism: Can Capitalism Be Saved?
The book introduced an application of P.R. Sarkar's idea that different socio-political groups, based on "inherent differences in human nature", that in turn are rooted in "characteristics of the mind," rotate in controlling the social motivity, determine the historical evolution over time.[1] Batra argues that groups of warriors, intellectuals or acquisitors take turns at leading society in their respective ages marked by ascension, supremacy and decline; citing historical examples.[2]
The end of the Soviet Union and the Iron curtain occurred just over one decade after the book was published; but the regime was not replaced in the way Batra predicted.[3]
Predictions
Batra predicted that both capitalism and communism would collapse around the year 2000. The Italian Prime Minister awarded Batra the Medal of the Italian Senate for this prediction in 1990.[4] The downfall of the increasingly enfeebled age of warriors or communism began in 1989 with revolutions in Eastern Europe and ended in 1990 with the dissolution of the Soviet Union.
"I will now argue that the new [intellectual] era in Russian society has been long overdue, and that the next transition could come at any time, perhaps in the next twenty-five to fifty years, perhaps in another century. But come it must. And the current Soviet repression of intellectuals, is simply a harbinger of the new intellectual age" (pg. 220, 1978 edn).
Downfall of capitalism
Batra suggested capitalism would collapse before communism.
That capitalism is eventually doomed to extinction, even its most ardent supporters would admit. Many would argue that by gradual evolution itself the facial features of capitalism will be altered, if not transformed. However, I believe the [social] revolution will occur in the next twenty-five to fifty years. (pg. 238)
In 1985, in The Great Depression of 1990, Batra predicted the collapse of capitalism would begin in 1990. In 2007, Batra made new predictions in his book The New Golden Age: The Coming Revolution against Political Corruption and Economic Chaos which he subsequently felt were being realised with the Occupy Wall Street movement.[5]
See also
References
- ↑ Batra, Ravi (1978). The Downfall of Capitalism and Communism: A New Study of History. London: McMillan. p. 2. ISBN 0-333-21645-8
- ↑ "Harold Channer with Ravi Batra". Conversations with Harold Hudson Channer. YouTube / Manhattan Neighborhood Network. Oct 12, 2008 (Air date: 04-18-90). Retrieved 26 November 2013. Check date values in:
|date=(help) - ↑ "Russia: The long life of Homo sovieticus". The Economist. December 10, 2011. Retrieved October 16, 2012.
- ↑ "Greenspan Reappraised; About Ravi Batra". Southern Methodist University. 2006. Retrieved 26 November 2013.
- ↑ Ravi Batra. ""The Occupy Wall Street Movement and the Coming Demise of Crony Capitalism", Truthout, October 11, 2011". Retrieved October 13, 2011.