Andy Hines, "Imagining After Capitalism" (Triarchy Press, 2025)

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Dec 7, 2024

Andy Hines, Associate Professor at the University of Houston and seasoned futurist, explores envisioning a world beyond capitalism. He introduces three compelling ideas: a Circular Commons, a Non-Workers' Paradise, and Tech-Led Abundance, each encouraging dialogue around potential futures. Hines discusses the need for innovative economic models and how AI could shape societal structures. Emphasizing creativity and collaboration, he challenges the prevailing negativity and inspires hope for a sustainable, post-capitalist paradigm.

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INSIGHT

Post-Capitalist Future Visions

Andy Hines, a professional futurist, uses foresight methodology to envision a post-capitalist future.
He developed three guiding images based on research and observed societal fear and denial about the future.

INSIGHT

Three Guiding Images

Hines's research revealed three guiding images for the future: Circular Commons (environmentally driven), Non-Workers' Paradise (socially/politically driven), and Tech-Led Abundance (technology-driven).
These images emerged from research and are meant to spark discussion.

INSIGHT

Predicting the Future

Predicting the future with certainty is impossible; it's more accurate to map potential landscapes.
The Circular Commons image likely requires the most change, while Tech-Led Abundance is closest to our current reality.

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Imagining After Capitalism (Triarchy Press, 2025) is the culmination of a decade-long exploration of what comes next after capitalism. It leverages previous work in developing foresight methodologies, which are featured in two previous books: Teaching about the Future and Thinking about the Future (2nd edition), both with Peter Bishop. It also leverages my work in identifying long-term values shifts—which are pivotal to After Capitalism—that are highlighted in ConsumerShift: How Changing Values Are Reshaping the Consumer Landscape.

Arguing that the absence of compelling positive alternatives keeps us stuck in a combination of fear, denial, and false hope, he offers three “guiding images” for the long-term future: an environmentally driven Circular Commons, a socially and politically driven Non-Workers’ Paradise, and a technology-driven Tech-Led Abundance.

Imagining After Capitalism argues “first things first.” Let us first decide where we want to go before building detailed plans for getting there. The three “guiding images” are not the answers, but are intended to provoke discussion about the possibilities.

The book offers an alternative to the prevailing doom and gloom and suggests there are indeed positive alternatives out there and it’s time to get started on crafting a different path to the future!

Andy Hines brings more than three decades of experience as a futurist to the Imagining After Capitalism work. He has explored the future from multiple vantage points. He is currently an Associate Professor and Program Coordinator at the University of Houston Foresight program. He also spent a decade as an organizational futurist, first with Kellogg’s and then Dow Chemical. His consulting futurists roles included Coates & Jarratt, Inc., Social Technologies/Innovaro and currently his own firm Hinesight.

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