Accelerazione e decelerazione del capitalismo. Tendenze e contraddizioni in epoca digitale

In this paper, the author examines the contemporary capitalist system by focusing on three key aspects. First, the paper analyses the emergence of new, network-based productive structures - contrasted with the previous vertically organized Fordist mode - and links these to the transformations in consumption patterns driven by ongoing technological innovation. Second, it explores the implications of a production system fragmented into a myriad of companies, particularly in terms of labour exploitation. Third, it investigates the main factors - both exogenous and endogenous to capitalism - that have led, in recent decades, to phases of contraction, even amid a broader trend of continuous expansion. The first section highlights the changes in production and consumer demand. The second focuses on labour exploitation, both on a global scale and within the Italian context. Finally, the concluding section outlines the recent contraction phases in the current capitalist development model, emphasizing the social and environmental sustainability challenges it faces.