The social, economic, and political challenges we face have reached the point of crisis: economic irrationality contributes to workplace disempowerment, social disintegration, political alienation, and environmental degradation. Despair is not an option. The 99 Percent Economy provides a stirring alternative: Democratic Socialism.
Paul S. Adler, a leading business and management expert, argues that to overcome these crises we need to assert control over economic affairs through social ownership and democratic management of companies as well as the national economy. He draws on a surprising source of inspiration: the strategic management techniques of large corporations. He shows how leading companies have designed and implemented strategies that involve and empower workers, enhance engagement and motivation, increase innovation, and are environmentally and socially sustainable.
The principles are scalable-because they work in large corporations with thousands of people, they can work at local, regional, and national scales.
Standing in the way? Private ownership of society’s productive resources, the foundation of capitalism’s ruthless competition and focus on individual gain at the cost of society, the environment, and future generations.
Adler shows how socialize public ownership will merge individual and social goals through the democratic involvement of all people in deciding what the future will be-both political and economic, both local and global. The needs of people and the planet will guide decisions about investment and production, rather than the pursuit of profit. Public planning forums at the enterprise, regional, and national levels will democratically decide goals, instead of being the prerogative of CEOs doing the bidding of investors.
Democratic socialism is not a leap into the entirely unknown, Adler shows. Capitalist industry has built the foundations for democratic socialism.
