The end of capitalism was the central expectation of the 20th century on all sides, from socialists to conservatives. Who expected that communism would suddenly end in 1989 and capitalism would triumphantly usher in the era of globalization? Capitalism has always somehow emerged from crises, and there is no conceivable replacement for it. But this is only an empirical generalization without any theoretical mechanisms. If all the great power structures of the past fell, even Rome, then why will capitalism never fall? The French Revolution, World War I, and the collapse of the USSR became possible precisely because they were not expected. Five historical sociologists present their five theories explaining why capitalism can collapse (Wallerstein and Collins), how and why capitalism can survive (Mann and Calhoun), where did the communist regimes in Russia and China come from and why did they end so differently (Derlugyan).