Community and the Economy: The Theory of Public Co-operation - Hardcover

Presenting a new political and historical theory of the mixed economy, this book is a convincing argument for a challenging social ideal - democratic communitarianism. Individualistic notions of liberty, equality and prosperity are too central to modern life and they need to be balanced by values of `community' and co-operation. Arguing that such a transformation is possible and practical, the author argues that long-term changes must be achieved before economic success can take place in a more fraternal, participative, and democratic society.

Throughout recent years conventional political distinctions and ideologies have been on the retreat. The failure of monolithic state Marxism in Central and Eastern Europe has at last been recognised, whilst ideologues on the right have anounced the death of the idea of society. To many this claim is premature, there remains a conviction that a political and social system might emerge which satisfies the needs of both the individual and the community as a whole. Community and the Economy offers a broad criticism of individualistic notions of liberty, equality and prosperity. Taking a fresh look at community', it highlights three badly neglected but fundamental values: Fraternity, Complementary Association, and Democratic Participation. The author finds that pointers to these values have existed, surprisingly, even in complex modern economies. Thus, it is possible for economic interests to collaborate freely with each other and government, in the cause of public interests. Although flawed and restrictive, this phenomenon of public co-operation' is crucial. Conventional thinking and practice are wrong to polarise, as they do, just on competition and state control. In a conceptual and historical investigation, the book concentrates on the factors which appear to have favoured public co-operation in practice. Although subject to variation, these commonly include networks for contact across social divisions and economic gulfs. the employment of village-type numbers in economic organizations and the presence of statutory disclosure and social monitoring which ensure organizational transparency. Most important of all is the widespread existence of communitarian beliefs. Concluding that long-term changes must be achieved before we can balance economic success with a more fraternal, participative, and democratic society, this is a convincing argument for a coherent, ideological alternative to the New Right.