Friday, August 29, 2003
Coming in September, to a book store near you.
The Soul of Capitalism: Opening Paths to a Moral Economy by William Greider.
Greider writes:
More from William Greider at, www.williamgreider.com
Addendum William Greider writes:
For complete context see: "Lessons of the Blackout"
Greider writes:
My new book (due in early September) is a bit different from my previous work -- a head-on critique of American capitalism that (I hope) leads people toward the sunlight, not darkness. My premise: we have reached a rare moment in history when Americans have the opportunity (and obligation) to confront the destructive qualities of the U.S. economic system and reform it in profound ways.
Letters to Kindred Spirits: The Question of Power
This new book offers a challenging proposition for American democracy: we are unlikely to revive a governing system that begins to resemble our democratic faith until we have confronted and reformed the malformed distributions of power within American capitalism itself. Though it may sound audacious, I think this is possible to achieve. In fact, I see glimpses of this great undertaking already underway in many places across the nation. Scattered and experimental to be sure, but these efforts are powered by brave pioneers who have compelling insights on how to rearrange the economic system so it will respect and support a far more humane and equitable country.
More from William Greider at, www.williamgreider.com
Addendum William Greider writes:
But an ugly corollary always accompanied the triumph of markets: Left unprotected by legal guarantees and restraints, the people are ignored, abused and screwed, then often have to pay to clean up the mess.
Above all, what was lost and forgotten over many years was the original genius of New Deal reforms--the understanding that social protections and economic well-being are not separate and incompatible but public values that can and should work together. A banking system cannot be sound if it is dominated by a few behemoths that regard themselves as above the law or if millions of Americans are left "unbanked" because they can't afford the sky-high fees of a checking account. A telecommunications industry cannot be healthy if it shuts off ownership and access to the diversity of Americans. The electricity sector cannot be efficient when it breaks down catastrophically and bilks its own customers.
For complete context see: "Lessons of the Blackout"