Deaths of Despair and the Future of Capitalism

Life expectancy has fallen in the United States for three years straight, and economics professors Anne Case and Angus Deaton suspect social and economic forces cause “deaths of despair” from suicide, drug overdose, and alcoholism. Deaths of Despair and the Future of Capitalism (Princeton University Press) is a nuanced portrait of the American working class increasingly demoralized by the failures of capitalism and provides prescriptive next steps.

Paw in print

Image
PAW's July/August 2025 issue cover, featuring a photo of people dressed in orange and black, marching in the P-rade, and the headline: Reunions, Back in Orange & Black.
The Latest Issue

July 2025

On the cover: Wilton Virgo ’00 and his classmates celebrate during the P-rade.