The period from the end of the Second World War until the recession of the mid 1970s saw one of the longest and most sustained economic booms in the history of capitalism. Why did this take place? And why did it finally come to an end? While the success of these years is often put down to Keynesian economics this talk will unpack the real roots, and limits, of capitalism's "golden age" and explain why even during this period the system continued to be one of exploitation and oppression.