tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4058766287077382431.post1537143689099218606..comments2024-03-23T04:01:39.348-04:00Comments on Understanding Society: Basic institutions and democratic equalityDan Littlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15953897221283103880noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4058766287077382431.post-44145181285041341882011-03-20T10:58:33.810-04:002011-03-20T10:58:33.810-04:00From the left there is also the good work of Alber...From the left there is also the good work of Albert and Hahnel in Participatory Economics at ZNet.troutskyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16020298501632120830noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4058766287077382431.post-2909080703329401242011-03-16T09:33:55.503-04:002011-03-16T09:33:55.503-04:00I would say that across the broad spectrum democra...I would say that across the broad spectrum democracies are equalizers, if only in the sense that as the franchise expands, those with lower inputs tend to favor greater spending.<br /><br />IMO if they can ever untangle the question, they will find that the disproportionate income wealth has more to do with economic scaling than political systems. At almost every level (City, State, Country, Company) there seems to be a tendency for the large to drive out the small where there is any efficiencies to distribution, production, politics, information, etc.<br /><br />To the extent that this scaling might create a tendency toward democratic governance (?) the interaction would then be one of effects with a common cause.russell1200https://www.blogger.com/profile/16258915475311426433noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4058766287077382431.post-65653769440895099292011-03-16T03:52:18.669-04:002011-03-16T03:52:18.669-04:00You say that “What is truly surprising is that the...You say that “What is truly surprising is that there has been so little continuing exploration of alternatives in the (last) two decades”. Perhaps it might be more precise to say that what work there is receives little exposure? I’m trying to do a short literature review on the change visions and processes suggested by those who have diagnosed the various malaises of contemporary capitalism and are trying to set out ideas for dealing with them http://nomadron.blogspot.com/2011/03/back-to-social-change.html. These ideas focus variously on economic and political systems – and on individual psychology. Your post has encouraged me to make an initial list of some of the economic work.<br />Since "When Corporations Rule the World" (1995) David Korten has been critiquing the operation of companies and setting out alternatives – using both books and a website<br />http://livingeconomiesforum.org. He has just published a new book – "Agenda for a new economy" - much of which can be accessed at Google Scholar. Peter Barnes published in 2006 a thoughtful critique and alternative vision "Capitalism 3.0" based on his entrepreneurial experience. This can be downloaded in entirety from the internet<br />At a more technical level, Paul Elkans published in 2000 an important book "Natural Capitalism" http://www.ruf.rice.edu/~cses/csessite/restricted/EreadDocs/natural_capitalism.pdf which showed what could be done within existing frameworks. And Ernst von Weizsaecker has long been an eloquent spokesman for this approach see the 2009 "Factor Five" report for the Club of Rome.<br />In the UK, Will Hutton has been giving us a powerful systemic critique of the coherence of neo-liberal thinking and policies since "The State We’re In" (1995) although his latest - "Them and us" (2010) – is weaker on alternatives and fails to mention a lot of relevant work. However William Davies published a useful booklet "Reinventing the Firm" (Demos 2009) which has echoes of Korten. <br />These are some of the contributions from what we might call the moderate school (politically). <br /><br />Perhaps the most readable material, however, comes from the Green corner. And, in particular, from an Irish economist Richard Douthwaite whose 2003 book "Short Circuit – strengthening local economies for security in an unstable world" is a marvellous combination of analysis and case-studies of successful community initatives. It can be down loaded in entirety from <br />http://www.feasta.org/documents/shortcircuit/Short_Circuit.pdf. <br />People at the centre for the advancement of the steady state economy www.steadystate.org are doing a good job – as is evident from their latest publication "Enough is enough" (CASSE 2010).<br /><br />And then there are the indefatigable writers on the left who are stronger on description than prescription – although David Harvey’s latest book "The Enigma of Capital" does try to sketch out a few alternatives.<br /><br />Unfortunately most writers feel a need to suggest they have the distinctive answer and are less than generous in their cross-referencing It is therefore difficult for the average reader to see the common thread in this writing. This is where Douthwaite scores.nomadronhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11996785326616523308noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4058766287077382431.post-41010737265299868312011-03-15T17:00:56.952-04:002011-03-15T17:00:56.952-04:00"We want social institutions to be beneficent..."We want social institutions to be beneficent (producing good outcomes for everyone), and we want them to be fair (treating all individuals and groups with equal consideration; creating comparable opportunities for everyone).<br /><br />There is a fundamental component of liberal optimism that holds that the institutions of a market-based democracy accomplish both goals."<br /><br />So I'm not a university professor and do not have the time to research as you do. But in my world, I don't know ANYONE who thinks that "the institutions of a market-based democracy" are either beneficent OR fair. <br /><br />Like it or not, our market institutions exist to sell whatever they are selling to the broadest number of consumers. Sometimes the focus of "strictly business" can lead to humanitarian outcomes - as when companies donate goods and services to victims of natural disasters. <br /><br />Employees within companies often try to tie a sense of purpose to their work. But that purpose is not always intrinsic in the business activity. <br /><br />Witness the shenanigans of our financial sector. <br /><br />Or take a look at KV Pharmaceuticals. They saw a $20 progesterone shot to help prevent premature birth (used for years and readily available at speciality pharmacies) was not a branded product. KV recognized the value to them of branding this product; they can now charge $1500 a shot to help prevent premature birth. That's what our institutions do. And it's strictly business.Main Street Musehttp://wardonwords.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4058766287077382431.post-56201448214586857802011-03-15T11:13:07.972-04:002011-03-15T11:13:07.972-04:00"What is truly surprising is that there has b..."What is truly surprising is that there has been so little continuing exploration of alternatives in the intervening two decades." - One discussion on alternatives worth being mentioned is: Roberto Unger. False Necessity, Cambridge University Press, 1987.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com