|
Over the past decade, voices from across the spectrum − ranging from Fast Company magazine to Fortune 500 CEO Marc Benioff to left-wing Greek economist Yanis Varoufakis − have declared capitalism to be dead or dying. The rise of populist movements and growing anti-capitalist sentiment among younger generations have left plenty of people feeling like capitalism is on the brink.
However, reports of capitalism’s death may be greatly exaggerated − at least as far as media opinion is concerned. Boston University professors Jay Zagorsky and H. Sami Karaca used artificial intelligence to analyze more than 400,000 U.S. newspaper articles from the early 20th century to today, examining how sentiment toward the world’s major economic systems has evolved.
Their findings challenge common assumptions: Despite the vocal criticism capitalism faces today, the tone of media coverage has actually grown more positive over time. Interestingly, the press of the 1940s was even more critical of all three major economic systems − capitalism, communism and socialism − than today’s media is.
Whether you’re a staunch capitalist, a devoted socialist or simply someone curious about how media shapes public opinion, you’ll be interested in this data-driven perspective.
|
|
Tracy Walsh
Economy + Business Editor, The Conversation U.S.
|
|
Jay L. Zagorsky, Boston University; H. Sami Karaca, Boston University
The death of capitalism has been greatly exaggerated.
|
|
|
Quote of the week 💬
|
-
“When the ratio between a minority group and a dominant group reaches 35/65, members of the minority group have the potential to become allies, form coalitions and influence the culture of the group as a whole. The effect, in organizational terms, is similar to the impact of 'critical mass' as described in nuclear physics.”
– Concordia University professors Louise Champoux-Paillé and Anne-Marie Croteau in their article Women in senior management: The more the better
|
|
Entrepreneurship
|
-
Andrea Caputo, University of Lincoln; Silvia Delladio, University of Trento
Going it alone can leave entrepreneurs facing specific challenges that can affect their wellbeing.
|
|
Finance
|
-
Misheck Mutize, University of Cape Town
African finance ministries should push for lower interest rates on bonds.
-
Linda Yueh, University of Oxford
How much trouble is the government in?
|
|
Leadership
|
-
Ulrike Mayrhofer, Université Côte d’Azur; Giulio Cesare Giorgini, Université Côte d’Azur
The Agnelli and Peugeot families played a key role in the creation and development of the Stellantis group and… the resignation of Carlos Tavares.
|
|
E-commerce
|
-
Henri Isaac, Université Paris Dauphine – PSL
The revenue Amazon generates from its marketplace is now surpassed by that from the numerous web services it offers to its sellers.
|
|
Business
|
-
Fabien Nadou, EM Normandie
What does the future hold for the American automotive industry as D. Trump approaches the Oval Office? The question is almost existential, since the car is such a symbol of the American way of life.
-
Chelsea Sherlock, Mississippi State University; Erik Markin, Mississippi State University
Ownership structure matters.
|
|
Credit
|
-
Ashish Kumar, RMIT University
On average, customers using BNPL services ended up spending more than 6% more than those who didn’t. The effect was particularly strong among younger shoppers and those with lower incomes.
|
|
Consumers
|
-
Derek Whayman, University of Reading
In a row dubbed the new PPI scandal, lenders may be liable for billions of pounds of repayments to people who took out car finance.
|
|
ESG
|
-
Sean Cleary, Queen's University, Ontario; Dhruv Baswal, Queen's University, Ontario
For many firms, ESG-related social media activity appears to be more about managing their public image than signaling genuine environmental commitment.
|
|
|
|
More from The Conversation |
|---|
| |
|
| |
| |
| |
| |
|
|
