当前西方对资本主义的新一轮反思从长期趋势和长远问题出发，从过去探讨金融、财政、福利等外围政策的改良，延伸到剖析自由市场模式特别是“新自由主义”的深刻缺陷，并较多论及中产阶级命运、民主政治困境等资本主义制度核心要素问题，表明西方资本主义国家寻求变革、脱困自救的危机意识进一步增强。美国等资本主义国家面临三重困境：短期面临“缺需求、缺信心、缺对策、缺动力”的稳健复苏困境；中期面临“再工业化、再创新、再出口、重构福利制度”的发展转型困境；长期面临全球治理合法性受损、主导权下降的霸权护持困境。
The West has been assessing and analyzing the predicaments of capitalism in the profound and far-flung manner. The reflections are not only related to the economic，fiscal and social welfare policies，but also the weakening of the middle class，the political dysfunction and the democracy crisis. It suggests that the western countries are increasing their awareness of underlying challenges and making efforts to seek exit strategies，enforce required reforms，and improve the political-economic institutions.Most western capitalist countries including the U.S. confront threefold predicament in terms of achieving settled recovery immediately，revitalizing the growth and competiveness in the medium term，as well as justifying and securing the hegemonic position or domination in global government in the long run.
