Some people see history as a battle of ideas — each attracting adherents in a struggle for rational progress. Others see it as a battle of forces — each recruiting supporters in a struggle for power. Taken together, these two traditions have been busy lately — producing a powerful new critique of capitalism. It can’t be dismissed as the usual lefty rhetoric either… the contributors include a growing number of Nobel-winning economists, World Bank staff and consultants, senior figures at the IMF, Wall Street traders, corporate executives and other defectors from free market ideology. (1)
Between them, these writers and film-makers have revealed the dreadful costs of free market economics. They have shown its flawed rationale; its necessary links to crisis and despotism; and its recurrent failures in practice. They have put hard numbers on the transfer of wealth into the hands of those who had the most already. They have shown what this has cost the poor, and how it has left us all with a looming crisis in “externalities” that threatens our survival on this planet.
Too bad to be true? Remember – this is not just the view of “the usual suspects”. This is coming from those who were there when the decisions were made. It comes from the exposure of primary sources, first-hand testimony, key documents, independent reviews, official statistics, analysis by Nobel-winners, and even (especially since Enron) legal affidavits and court records.
BUT.
No matter how well-reasoned, criticism will get us nowhere unless it inspires action. As He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named said: “Philosophers have merely interpreted the world… the point, however, is to change it.” (3)
The process of change, when it comes, usually features an escalation in protests and strikes. We are certainly seeing this. It is also accompanied by a thirst for new ideas. So what has been tabled in the past ten years, beyond calls for a return to social dialogue, state socialism, and/or the regulatory regimes of the twentieth century?
The point of this article is to look at four recent proposals for a new way forward. As you’ll see, each of them has something rather interesting in common. If you take nothing else away from this article, just make a mental note of one thing, right now: each of the proposals is predicated on the democratization of work.
“The work of unions is to create workplace democracy,
and, in the larger picture, economic democracy.“ – Lisabeth L. Ryder, U.S. union organizer
Cramming years of work and thought into a couple of paragraphs is scarcely fair to the authors we look at below. What we hoping to do, though, is to give you enough information to decide on whether you want more. We have focused on a single book from each writer, and have avoided comparison and critique. That’s your job.
“Freedom is participation in power” (Cicero).
So what needs to happen in your workplace (whether it be a factory, an office, a home, a family farm, a temp agency or a dole queue…) in order to give you and your colleagues more voice and influence? If the visions discussed below do not inspire collective action, engagement and change, then they remain just that… visions. Phantasies.
1. David Schweickart: Economic Democracy
In After Capitalism (2002, 2011), Professor David Schweickart argues for a system he calls Economic Democracy. This preserves the market’s role in economics, while extending democracy into the workplace, as well as into the linked spheres of investment and finance. Although workers control their own jobs and workplaces, productive resources become the collective property of society. Schweickart presents a solid case with stacks of evidence to show that this model would be both more fair and more efficient. A second edition of After Capitalism has just been released, and the timing could not be better.
On the role of unions: “If we are going to move to an economy beyond capitalism, it will take a large and powerful movement, and labor will have to be a major component of such a movement. But it will have to be a “new unionism” that–like the union movement of the early days–sees itself as struggling for the interests of all workers, not just those in the craft or trade to which an individual happens to belong.These interests should include extending democracy to the workplace and gaining democratic control over investment priorities.” (4)
• Further reading online»
2. Michael Albert: Participatory Economics
Michael Albert
In Parecon: Life After Capitalism (2003), Michael Albert outlines his vision for Participatory Economics (or Parecon). This system would place workplace and consumer councils at the heart of decision-making. Work and labor are allocated in such a way that people have a mix of tasks and responsibilities, balanced to deliver an equal workplace experience, quality of life and empowerment. Pay is based on effort and hardship, rather than output and property. A co-operative approach called “participatory planning” is used for allocation, rather than markets and central planning.
On the role of unions:“Unions of workers, as we now know them, become the nested network of workers councils in a participatory economy — the decision making bodies of the production side of the economy… not a pressure group to compel owners or bosses, but a vehicle of decision making themselves… at the firm, industry, sector, or national level, because there are only workers – not any class above them to bargain against. Consumer councils – the same people operating geographically and regarding consumption preferences, address economic issues as well registering their preferences and cooperatively negotiating economic choices with the workers councils”. (5)
• Further reading online: The full text of Parecon is accessible here (kudos!) and a wealth of related material available here.
3. Guy Standing: Occupational Citizenship
Guy Standing
In Work after Globalization (2009), Guy Standing puts the case for Occupational Citizenship — a new model that takes us beyond the “labourism” of the 20th century (where employment rather than work was the basis of social rights). As he points out: “People have jobs, but they are occupations”. His vision is radically inclusive, bringing in all workers, including the new ‘precariat’, care workers, the unemployed, and self-employed contractors etc. The model aims to deliver “…a healthy balance of work, labour, leisure and play (that will) …put the market in its proper place…”. This involves a combination of international associations, national associations and informal networks.
On the role of unions:“Only through collective representation and collective action can the forces of oppression and exploitation be combated. However, for too long unions have failed to understand the nature of “precariat”. We must move beyond old-style workplace or industrial democracy, since a feature of the precariat is that it has to combine forms of labour and work in and outside formal workplaces.” (6) Standing proposes a more “associational” form of organisation (for reasons he argues convincingly), and the adoption of a “collaborative bargaining” approach. This latter could also operate between workers (eg setting standards, providing mutual support, monitoring the application of resources, etc), and between one occupation and another (eg doctors and nurses).
• Further reading online»
4. Seymour Melman: Workplace Democracy
Seymour Melman
Professor Seymour Melman’s contribution is After Capitalism: From Managerialism to Workplace Democracy (2001). In it, he looks at various successful democratic ventures around the world, and compares these with corporate and state-controlled ventures (including the military-industrial complex). His case for workplace democracy is compelling. He identifies three aspects in the transition: eliminating professional corporate managers; strengthening workers’ unions; and employing alternatives to corporate hierarchies for capital accumulation. In the process, he believes we will be incrementally democratizing economics itself. This is by no means a roadmap or a prescription (“there are many possible paths and timelines for disalienation…”), so we’ll have to work the rest out ourselves. Sadly, Seymour Melman died in 2004.
On the role of unions: Melman believes that the labor movement is the principal agent in getting us (and keeping us) beyond capitalism. While workplace democracy would change some of the basic rules of production, and alter the rationale for unions, it would be up to working people themselves to define the new role.
• Further reading online»
So… do any of these summaries inspire you to read further?
With the possible exception of Melman, you’ll find each one of these authors takes you through and beyond the democratization of work. What do you think… is it a means or an end? A strategy or a goal? The authors also diverge in other ways, especially with regards to the roles of the market, unions and the state. Roughly speaking, Standing fits into the social democrat tradition; Schweickart into the Marxian tradition; and Albert into the anarchist tradition. That said, these are all revolutionary models, in that they are based on a decisive shift and transfer of power.
Now, over to you…
If you’ve already read one or more of the books above, we’d be glad to hear your thoughts, by way of the Comments section below.
More to the point… who have we missed? What other authors, books and films should have been included on this page, and why? Help us build the list by way of the Comments section below, and we’ll do some thinking on how to promote these alternative views further.
Criteria for inclusion in the list:
• Their signature work must have appeared after 2000;
• Their argument must go beyond critique, presenting a fully-fledged alternative to capitalism;
• Their approach must evidence-based, rather than belief-driven or ideological.
by Peter Hall-Jones
5 September 2011
Notes
(1) Some “insiders” who have added to the critique:
• Professor Joseph Stiglitz (Nobel laureate, former Chief Economist at the World Bank);
• Professor Ha-Joon Chang (consultant to the World Bank and various UN agencies);
• Professor Raj Patel (worked for the World Bank, World Trade Organization and the United Nations);
• Professor Ralph Estes (Emeritus professor of business and accounting at American University in Washington);
• Professor David Korten (former Professor of Harvard University Graduate School of Business);
• Professor Jeremy Rifkin (advisor to the European Commission and the European Parliament);
• Professor Jeffrey Sachs (advisor to the World Bank, the OECD, the WHO, the IMP,the UNDP, and the UN);
• Robert A. G. Monks (former director of the US Synthetic Fuels Corporation, CEO of C.H.Sprague & Son);
• Professor Tim Jackson (Economics Commissioner on the UK Sustainable Development Commission);
• Dr Michael Hudson (Wall Street analyst and consultant, President of The Institute for the Study of Long-term Economic Trends);
• Professor Herman Daly (former World Bank Senior Economist);
• Professor Simon Johnson (former Chief Economist of the IMF);
• Dr Gillian Tett (U.S. Managing Editor, Financial Times). (Note: It should not be inferred that just because people produced work deeply critical of capitalism, they are necessarily opposed to it, as a system!)
(2) A selection of key books published recently by academic/activist/analysts includes:
• Naomi Klein, “The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism”, Penguin, 2007;
• Dr Susan George, “Whose Crisis? Whose Future? – Towards a Greener, Fairer, Richer World”, Wiley, 2010;
• Dr Susan George et al, “Anti-Capitalism: A Guide To The Movement (Revolutionary Portraits)”, Bookmarks, 2001;
• George Monbiot, “The Age of Consent”, Flamingo, 2003;
• Dr Raj Patel, “Stuffed and Starved: Markets, Power and the Hidden Battle for the World Food System”, Black Inc Books, 2007;
• Professor David Harvey, “The Enigma of Capital and the Crises of Capitalism”, Profile Books, 2010;
• Professor David Korten, “The Great Turning: From Empire to Earth Community”, Berrett-Koehler Publishers, 2007 (2nd edition);
• Thomas Frank, “One Market Under God: Extreme Capitalism, Market Populism, and the End of Economic Democracy”, Anchor, 2001;
• Luc Boltanski & Eve Chiapello, “The New Spirit of Capitalism”, Verso, 2007;
• Professor Vandana Shiva, “Stolen Harvest: The Hijacking of the Global Food Supply”, South End Press, 2000;
• Professor Alastair McIntosh, “Soil and Soul: People Versus Corporate Power”, Aurum Press, 2001; (And, since we didn’t define “activist”:)
• Professor Joseph Stiglitz, “Globalization and Its Discontents”, W.W. Norton & Company, 2002;
• Professor Ralph Estes, “Taking Back the Corporation”, Nation Books, 2005. (Note: As above, it should not be assumed that just because people produce work that is deeply critical of capitalism, they are necessarily opposed to it, per se!)
(3) Karl Marx, “Theses on Feuerbach”, 1845.
(4) From private correspondence with the author, 2011.
(5) From private correspondence with the author, 2011.
(6) From private correspondence with the author, 2011.
Terrific reading, analysis and thinking here! You might be interested in a workplace-democracy proposal posted today (Labor Day) called WOOP: We the Workers of the World Walk Out On Profit. Your opinion would mean a great deal! Thanks—Jack Dempsey
Another system is Nobel Peace Prize laureate Prof. Muhammad Yunus’s “Social business”. Whethers it meets the 3 criteria above is debatable. It’s not an alternative to capitalism, but its such a total rewiring that many would argue it’s a qualitatively different system. A Social Business is designed to address a social objective. Investors get their money back, but no profit (beyong knowing they’ve used their money well). Company profits are used to build sustainability, improve the product/service and advance the social mission. Check out “Creating a world without poverty: social business and the future of capitalism”, 2007.
Its exciting to see you folks working on this. Read Allan Engler’s book on economic democarcy? http://www.fernwoodpublishing.ca/Economic-Democracy-Allan-Engler/ and also I think you’d like the closing section of Ha-Joon Changs book- 23 Things They Don’t Tell You About Capitalism. I wish we couldbe getting these in to every occupy libray.
Lots of good stuff here. Its enough for months of reading. I would like to also recommend Econ4 http://econ4.org/ : a guide to new ways of thinking about economics, supported by a growing list of top flight economists.
I’m not convinced myself but I think its worth mentioning the old socialists. They fought long and hard all through the last century and not all of them were taken in by Stalin or Mao or Hoxha or whoever. It seems that they will die out in this generation as the Occupiers show no inclination to hitch their wagon to this faded star. Hey – a shout out to the old guard (e.g., http://www.worldsocialism.org/articles/what_is_socialism.php). You did your best and I hope you rest in peace.
Take a look at “America Beyond Capitalism: Reclaiming our Wealth, Our Liberty, and Our Democracy” by Gar Alperovitz (2004). Hes big into workplace democracy as well. More info at http://www.garalperovitz.com/abc/.
Some people see history as a battle of ideas — each attracting adherents in a struggle for rational progress. Others see it as a battle of forces — each recruiting supporters in a struggle for power. Taken together, these two traditions have been busy lately — producing a powerful new critique of capitalism. It can’t be dismissed as the usual lefty rhetoric either… the contributors include a growing number of Nobel-winning economists, World Bank staff and consultants, senior figures at the IMF, Wall Street traders, corporate executives and other defectors from free market ideology. (1)
No matter how well-reasoned, criticism will get us nowhere unless it inspires action. As He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named said: “Philosophers have merely interpreted the world… the point, however, is to change it.” (3)
“Freedom is participation in power” (Cicero).
Economic Democracy
September 5, 2011 at 12:56 pm
Terrific reading, analysis and thinking here! You might be interested in a workplace-democracy proposal posted today (Labor Day) called WOOP: We the Workers of the World Walk Out On Profit. Your opinion would mean a great deal! Thanks—Jack Dempsey
September 5, 2011 at 7:54 pm
Cheers Jack. Can you provide us with a web address for people to check out?
September 5, 2011 at 11:26 pm
Another system is Nobel Peace Prize laureate Prof. Muhammad Yunus’s “Social business”. Whethers it meets the 3 criteria above is debatable. It’s not an alternative to capitalism, but its such a total rewiring that many would argue it’s a qualitatively different system. A Social Business is designed to address a social objective. Investors get their money back, but no profit (beyong knowing they’ve used their money well). Company profits are used to build sustainability, improve the product/service and advance the social mission. Check out “Creating a world without poverty: social business and the future of capitalism”, 2007.
Amazon.com: Creating a World Without Poverty: Social Business and the Future of Capitalism (9781586484934): Muhammad Yunus: Books
September 13, 2011 at 11:35 pm
What about Negri and Hardt’s Commonwealth (2009)? See http://www.amazon.com/Commonwealth-Michael-Hardt/dp/0674035119
September 15, 2011 at 8:52 pm
I have also written to the World Social Forum to see if they have any key work(s) we should be featuring here.
October 27, 2011 at 10:12 am
Its exciting to see you folks working on this. Read Allan Engler’s book on economic democarcy? http://www.fernwoodpublishing.ca/Economic-Democracy-Allan-Engler/ and also I think you’d like the closing section of Ha-Joon Changs book- 23 Things They Don’t Tell You About Capitalism. I wish we couldbe getting these in to every occupy libray.
December 6, 2011 at 6:42 am
Lots of good stuff here. Its enough for months of reading. I would like to also recommend Econ4 http://econ4.org/ : a guide to new ways of thinking about economics, supported by a growing list of top flight economists.
December 6, 2011 at 8:45 pm
I’m not convinced myself but I think its worth mentioning the old socialists. They fought long and hard all through the last century and not all of them were taken in by Stalin or Mao or Hoxha or whoever. It seems that they will die out in this generation as the Occupiers show no inclination to hitch their wagon to this faded star. Hey – a shout out to the old guard (e.g., http://www.worldsocialism.org/articles/what_is_socialism.php). You did your best and I hope you rest in peace.
January 15, 2012 at 10:06 pm
Take a look at “America Beyond Capitalism: Reclaiming our Wealth, Our Liberty, and Our Democracy” by Gar Alperovitz (2004). Hes big into workplace democracy as well. More info at http://www.garalperovitz.com/abc/.