This new edition of Reinventing Collapse is an update on the growing similarities and differences between the collapse of the Soviet Union and the current unraveling of the United States. Dmitry Orlov shares his personal experiences in post-industrial living and argues that US collapse is survivable given the right attitude and preparation.

A guide to the decline of the American empire for individuals, families and communities

The United States is in steep decline. Plagued by runaway debt, a shrinking economy, and environmental catastrophes to rival Chernobyl, the United States has been retracing the trajectory of the Soviet Union in the early 1980s toward national bankruptcy and political dissolution. By comparing a collapse that has run its course to one that is now unfolding, Dmitry Orlov holds a unique lens up to America's present and future.

As Orlov's predictions continue to come true, his writing continues to gain mainstream acceptance. This revised and updated edition of Reinventing Collapse examines the circumstances of the demise of the Soviet superpower and offers clear insights into how we might prepare for the events that are unfolding here.

Orlov gives no quarter to prophets of doom and gloom, finding plenty of room for optimism, if only we focus our efforts on personal and cultural transformation instead of trying to perpetuate an impossible status quo. This challenging yet inspiring and surprisingly upbeat work is a must-read for anyone concerned about peak oil, the environment, geopolitics, international relations, and life in a resource-constrained world.

Dmitry Orlov is an American engineer who was an eyewitness to the Soviet collapse and has written extensively on the subject of the impending collapse of the United States.

Preface to Second Edition
Introduction

1 The Soviet Example
     The Collapse of the Soviet Union: An Overview
     Back in the USSR
     A Rude Awakening
     The New Normal
     My Premise

2 Superpower Similarities
     The Myth of Inclusiveness
     Better Living Through Science
     Industrial Food Production
     Consumer Goods
     Information Technology
     The Cost of Technological Progress
     Militarism
     World's Jailers
     Evil Empires
     Bankruptcy
     Collapse of Legitimacy

3 The Collapse Gap
     Collapses in General
     Energy
     Housing
     Transportation
     Employment
     Families
     Money
     Consumerism
     Food
     Medicine
     Education
     Ethnicity
     Religion
     Inevitable Conclusion

4 Collapse Mitigation
     The Collapse Party Platform
     Political Solutions
     Private Sector Solutions
     Activism and Apathy
     Boondoggles to the Rescue!
     Investment Advice
     The Future is Rated "B"
     Starve the Beast

5 Adaptation
     Loss of "Normalcy"
     Smelling the Roses
     Comforts and Necessities
     Surviving Radical Cashectomy
     The Revised Playbook
     Lowering Your Standards
     Playing the Part
     The Settled and the Nomadic

6 Career Opportunities
     Asset Stripping
     Drugs and Alcohol
     Providing Security
     Serving Your Country
     Alternative Medicine
     Alternative Transportation
     Social Work in the Home
     That's No Way to Run a Business!
     The Permanently Unemployed Consumer
     How (not to) Organize a Community

Conclusion
Index
About the Author