a proposed economic phenomenon whereby profits decrease over time (as monopolistic forces decline), in a cycle; phases: expansion, stagnation, and recession
First, the Kondratieff cycles: In order to accumulate significant amounts of capital, producers require a quasi-monopoly
it has long been argued that there are so-called 'long waves' or 'Kondratieff cycles' lasting on average fifty years in capitalist developmental history based upon tehcnological innovations
he thinks the theory is incomplete (doesn't account for cultural/organisational shifts?)