209 ELEVEN Rethinking public ownership as economic democracy Andrew Cumbers Introduction The 20th century was dominated by two opposing utopias. One was a vision of top-down state ownership that could overthrow capitalism and deliver the fruits of their labour to the masses; the other was Hayek’s market-driven nirvana of the property owning democracy that could liberate the individual, creativity and enterprise. Ultimately, both visions ushered in centralising dystopias in the form of the totalitarian command economies of the Soviet Union and China on the
movements for economic democracy in the 1970s to find guidance. The recession in the wake of the OPEC oil crisis led to massive redundancies unseen since the 1930s. Trade union efforts to save jobs and find alternatives became widespread in many countries of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). The Mondragon co-operatives in Spain with roots back to the 1950s provided inspiration about the potential for federated forms of economic democracy and, in Northern Italy, worker co-ops had already been established in the building trade where they
BOOK REVIEW After occupy: economic democracy for the 21st century, by Tom Malleson, New York, OUP, 2014, 304 pp., £14.99 (hardcover), ISBN 978-0-19-933010-2 Recently, widespread concern in both academia and public discourse has turned to the problem of inequality. While rising wealth disparities have received the greatest attention, unequal influence over politics has faced far less scrutiny. In After Occupy, Tom Malleson argues that inequality in the economic and political spheres are inescapably intertwined. Access to political power enables attainment of
In a time of great gloom and doom internationally and of major global problems, this book offers an invaluable contribution to our understanding of alternative societies that could be better for humans and the environment.
Bringing together a wide range of approaches and new strands of economic and social thinking from across the US, Mexico, Latin America, Europe, Asia, Middle East and Africa, Luke Martell critically assesses contemporary alternatives and shows the ways forward with a convincing argument of pluralist socialism.
Presenting a much-needed introduction to the debate on alternatives to capitalism, this ambitious book is not about how things are, but how they can be!
It is increasingly recognised that instead of relying on top-down commands or leaving individuals to their own devices, communities should be given a role in tackling challenges exacerbated by global crises.
Written by a team of leading experts with in-depth knowledge and on-the-ground experience, this book sets out why and how people’s lives can be positively transformed through diverse forms of community involvement.
This book critically explores examples from around the world of how communities can become more collaborative and resilient in dealing with the problems they face, and provides an invaluable guide to what a holistic policy agenda for community-based transformation should encompass.
In this collection, innovative and eminent social and policy analysts, including Colin Crouch, Anna Coote, Grahame Thompson and Ted Benton, challenge the failing but still dominant ideology and policies of neo-liberalism.
The editors synthesise contributors’ ideas into a revised framework for social democracy; rooted in feminism, environmentalism, democratic equality and market accountability to civil society.
This constructive and stimulating collection will be invaluable for those teaching, studying and campaigning for transformative political, economic and social policies.
From Attlee to the birth of New Labour, and the advent of Corbynism, this book gives a lively account of the ideological developments and dramas in the Labour Party in recent decades.
Batrouni delves into the totemic battles between hard and soft left, examining the destructive and creative elements of key periods of Labour’s ideological exhaustion and ideational confusion.
Providing powerful insights from interviews with some of the most influential thinkers, advisors and MPs in the party, he goes on to examine the phenomenal emergence of Corbynism, the impact of Brexit and what lies ahead for the party.
This collection of original essays explores the myriad expressions of austerity since the 2008 financial crisis.
Case studies drawn from Canada, Australia and the European Union provide extensive comparative analysis of fiscal consolidation and the varied political responses against austerity. Contributions examine such themes as privatization, class mobilization and resistance, the crisis of liberal democracy and the rise of the far right.
The potential impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in shaping future austerity and alternatives is signalled. Given the rapidly shifting terrain, this comprehensive handbook provides important insights into a complex and fast-changing period of politics and policy.
With capitalism in crisis - rising inequality, unsustainable resource depletion and climate change all demanding a new economic model - the Social and Solidarity Economy (SSE) has been suggested as an alternative. What can contribute in terms of generating livelihoods that provide a dignified life, meeting of social needs and building of sustainable futures? What can activists in both the global North and South learn from each other?
In this volume academics from a range of disciplines and from a number of European and Latin American countries come together to question what it means to have a ‘sustainable society’ and to ask what role these alternative economies can play in developing convivial, humane and resilient societies, raising some challenging questions for policy-makers and citizens alike.
ePDF and ePUB available Open Access under CC-BY-NC licence.
In recent years, the ‘city region’ has seen a renaissance as the de facto spatial centre of governance for economic and social development.
Rich in case study insights, this book provides a critique of city-region building and considers how governance restructuring shapes the political, economic, social and cultural geographies of devolution. Reviewing the Greater Manchester, Sheffield, Swansea Bay City Regions, Cardiff Capital Region and the North Wales Growth Deal, the authors address the tensions and opportunities for local elites and civil society actors.
Based on original empirical material, situated within cutting edge academic and policy debates, this book is a timely and lively engagement with the shifting geographies of economic and social development in Britain.
