Postcapitalism: Moving Beyond Ideology in America's Economic Crisis

by Sassower,Raphael

• ISBN13: 9781594516733
• ISBN10: 1594516731
• Format: Nonspecific Binding
• Copyright: 2009-10-30
• Publisher: Routledge

Summary

Debates over the role of government rage in the wake of America's deepest financial crisis since the Depression. This book suggests new ways of appreciating the political, legal, and moral context that could bring about a more sound economic future. Postcapitalismanalyzes the contemporary American predicament plaguing the economy: whether to leave the markets to their own devices or to allow government intervention. Instead of arguing for a capitalist or social democratic ideology, this book suggests that American pragmatism is indeed the choice we have made in the past century and that informs our current policies. This means that from the workplace to foreign aid, Americans are bound to cooperate with each other and collaborate rather than pursue their self-interest in competitive ways. Drawing on thinkers from Adam Smith to Keynes and Bernanke, Sassower shows how a new era of postideological capitalism can emerge in the wake of the current economic crisis.

Author Biography

Raphael Sassower is Professor of Philosophy at the University of Colorado-Colorado Springs. Among his latest publications are Popper's Legacy: Rethinking Politics, Economics, and Science (2006), and with Mary Ann Cutter, Ethical Choices in Contemporary Medicine (2007). He frequently writes on business and related matters for newspapers.

Table of Contents

Preface	p. ix
From Supercapitalism to Postcapitalism	p. 1
The Capitalist Framework Revisited: Adam Smith's Moral Sentiments	p. 5
Planning: Complementing the Marketplace	p. 16
The Middle Ground: Popperian Influence	p. 21
The Knowledge Industry: The Academy and the Internet	p. 37
The Production, Distribution, and Consumption of Knowledge	p. 39
Taxing Knowledge: Why Pay Twice for GPS?	p. 49
Academic Institutions of the Future	p. 55
Individualism and the Community: From Competition to Cooperation	p. 65
Venture Capitalists and Angels: From Greed to Philanthropy	p. 67
The Age of Globalization: From Resources to Ecological Hazards	p. 79
Postmodern Recycling of Data and Insights: Intellectual Property Revisited	p. 90
Victimhood and Entitlement: Martyrs and Heroes	p. 99
Reciprocal Altruism and the Prisoner's Dilemma	p. 102
Rational Cooperation and the Free Rider Paradox	p. 110
Personal Gratification and Rewards in Corporate America	p. 117
Personal and Collective Responsibility	p. 125
Cooperation in New Corporate Structures	p. 127
The Buck Stops Here: Government Intervention in the Marketplace	p. 132
Building Communities to Preserve Identity	p. 141
From 2008 Crises to Pragmatic Postcapitalism	p. 151
Bibliography	p. 159
Index	p. 167
About the Author	p. 175
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