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The Dutch edition is published by Lemniscaat (Rotterdam).
ISBN: 9789047708872 | Uitvoering: Paperback | Prijs: € 24,95
The German edition was published by Promedia Publishers (Vienna) in 2015.
ISBN 978-3-85371-384-6, 272 pages, 19.90 Euro
The English edition will be published in autumn 2019 by Zero Books.
E-Book: 15,90 Euro
The End of the Megamachine brings to light the roots of the destructive forces threatening the future of humankind today. While the first part leads us to the very origins of economic, military and ideological power 5000 years ago, the second and key part retraces the formation and expansion of the modern world-system through the last 500 years. Dismantling Western progress mythologies, Scheidler shows how the logics of endless capital accumulation have devastated both human societies and ecosystems from the outset.
With the growing instability and looming collapse of the Megamachine in the 21st century new dangers as well as new possibilities for systemic change open up.
The End of the Megamachine shifts the point of view from a “history of the winners” to a “people’s history”. It highlights the key role of the “metallurgical complex” linking military and financial systems and fostering the evolution of technocratic visions of the world from antiquity to modernity. A particular focus is the history of “apocalyptic thinking” that has been formative for Western culture, both for capitalist projections of a “New World” and for anti-systemic movements.
"The topic could not be more important. A very valuable and surely timely contribution. I am very sympathetic with the approach."
Prof. Noam Chomsky, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
"A highly original and fascinating book. It helps to understand and overcome the global Megamachine that is threatening our future."
Prof. Ernst Ulrich von Weizsäcker, president of the Club of Rome
"The book has a greater value than everything I learned about history at school."
Christian Felber,
founder of the „Economy for the Common Good“
"Top 10 of non-fiction in 2015"
Robert Jungk Library for Future Studies
"A masterstroke!"
Prof. Andrea Komlosy,
Yale University, University of Wien
"This book should become part of the curricula of all schools and universities."
Prof. Ulrich Duchrow in the German biweekly “Publik Forum”
"An extremely good read."
Annette Jensen in the German daily “Taz. Die Tageszeitung“
"Well-founded and highly original."
Ute Scheub in the Swiss monthly “Zeitpunkt”
"Fabian Scheidler has written not only an economic but also a remarkable psychological history of capitalism."
Barbara Dyttrich in the Swiss weekly “WOZ”