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

"Boswell's book gives communitarianism a good name. Without sentimentality or nostalgia he makes a strong case for the central role of community in, of all places, the economy. He shows why a good economy is a communtarian economy. Boswell is tough, factual, specific in his recommendations, and in the best sense of the word, idealistic." -Robert N. Bellah, University of California, Berkeley "In a very interesting and enlightening book, Boswell does an excellent job of exploring the social and intellectual history of communitarianism. . . . This is a challenging book because it calls into question mainstream assumptions about the market, the public and private sectors, the role of government and our conception of democracy. In the best tradition of political economy and the history of social thought, Boswell focuses on the big questions and suggests a comprehensive framework for constructing an alternative to the tyranny of the market or the tyranny of the state." -"Choice, 8/91 "Path-breaking analysis of the links between the values of community and the imperatives of an advanced economy . . . a world away from individualistic economic liberalism and collectivist state socialism . . . exemplifies a tentative but unmistakable new paradigm . . . a subtle argument." -"London Review of Books "I would highly recommend this book to those who are interested in looking beyond either the market system or total state control of the economy. The range of material covered is broad, but there is an attempt to make specific recommendations. The future of most all economies rests on how the problems addressed in this book are answered, and these answers are especially important toEastern European countries that are undergoing a dramatic reconstruction." -"Journal of Economic Issues "It is a comprehensive book articulating a vision of an economy that steers clear of a dominant market or statedirected model. His attention to economics is holistic. . . . [The book] offers a vision of how to implement the principles of fraternity, associativeness and participation. . . . a philosophical view of management as virtue rather than as a mere technique." -"Review of Social Economy, Spring 93

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.