Late-Stage Capitalism vs Post-Capitalism: What Do These Terms Actually Mean?

You've seen "late-stage capitalism" all over social media, but do you actually know what it means — or where it came from? In this episode, we trace the term from German economist Werner Sombart through Marxist theorist Ernest Mandel to its modern life as an internet catch-all for everything dystopian about consumer culture. Then we unpack "post-capitalism" and the surprisingly fragmented visions behind it: Paul Mason's information-age abundance, democratic socialism, degrowth, and even fully automated luxury communism. If you've ever wondered whether these terms are descriptive or just aspirational — and whether capitalism is actually ending or just getting started — this episode will give you the intellectual toolkit to think clearly about it.