Capitalism shapes almost every aspect of our lives, yet a vast majority of people have no idea what it even is, how it got started, or how it’s basic mechanisms, i.e, private property, capitol, and labor, relate to us. The title is a play on words encapsulating a central theme of Richard Wolff's writing, lectures, and interviews on his weekly radio program out of New York City: if we value democratic processes, why not extend them in the area of life where citizens spend the majority of their time: in the workplace? And in a moment where the contradictions of capitalism are becoming more and more glaring and obvious by the day, and more and more people are refusing to accept that we live in the best of all possible worlds, Richard Wolff has suddenly found himself appearing on talk shows. i agree with most of it though i feel like there is something missing. it's dialectic. However, if we truly understood it, we would tear it apart in minutes. The author has spent his entire career studying and critiquing capitalism. By Richard Wolff. This book entails the problems in traditional business firms and how worker-cooperatives are the simple solution. The local communities in which the companies have production facilities would also have a role in decision making at the companies. On the one hand, they will aggravate social problems that impose costs on governments.”, “shifting demand patterns that have so often provoked or worsened economic cycles and crises in capitalism. In 2010, Wolff published, The Socialist Manifesto: The Case for Radical Politics in an Era of Extreme Inequality, Another Now: Dispatches from an Alternative Present, The Public Bank Solution: From Austerity to Prosperity, Blackshirts and Reds: Rational Fascism and the Overthrow of Communism, The Jakarta Method: Washington's Anticommunist Crusade and the Mass Murder Program that Shaped Our World, The Darker Nations: A People's History of the Third World, Super Imperialism - New Edition: The Origin and Fundamentals of U.S. World Dominance, The Global Minotaur: America, the True Origins of the Financial Crisis and the Future of the World Economy, And the Weak Suffer What They Must? Many leftists have retreated to single-issue politics, leaving the road clear for right-wing apologists to promote capitalism – even as capitalism continues to precipitate repeated economic crises; foment human rights abuses and threaten war at home and abroad; impoverish the vast majority of the working class and the world; engender corruption, criminality, lies, and dec. This is not a one-star review because I saw that he's a Marxist and have an inherent problem with Marx (though I do think abandoning some of his ideas - including the labor theory of value which was shared by Smith and Ricardo but dumped by their followers - would benefit the economic left). Inventors and innovators in a WSDE-based economic system would, like their counterparts in capitalist systems, face problems to solve and incentives to realize the production of new goods or services. He outlines many contentions to worker-cooperatives and then answers them with the reassurance that these are not valid contentions. DEMOCRACY AT WORK A Cure for Capitalism. A much stronger case could have been made if he looked at Germany's example of corporations where board membership is split between stockholders and workers. Wolff sees Worker Self-Directed Enterprises as the wave of the future and he went a long way towards convincing me too. Democracy at Work is a crystal clear articulation of the economic theories and proposals Wolff has been championing for decades. "—Cornel West. The local communities in which the companies have production facilities would also have a role in decision making at the compan. Then, I read this book, and he really explains why it's absolutely important that we're able to appropriate our profits. And in a moment where the contradictions of capitalism are becoming more and more glaring and obvious by the day, and more and more people are refusing to accept that we live in the best of all possible worlds, Richard Wolff has suddenly found himself appearing on talk shows. Refresh and try again. Start by marking “Democracy at Work: A Cure for Capitalism” as Want to Read: Error rating book. His main point is not one that is to be the sole factor of solving all problems with a capitalist economy, but rather to add depth and another layer of what is important in the solutions (democratizing workplaces) - for analyzing the hist. Another striking bit of information is that FDR was essentially forced by progressive people in groups like the CIO to adopt socialist policies in order to prevent what some suspected might erupt into outright socialist revolution. His writing felt like a good balance of colloquial and academic. Given that the man, is, despite his radical credentials, an academic economist, this seems to be his general-audience book. A good book for the 21st century socialist. Wolff begins by stating that capitalists have kept control of the US by asserting that there are two systems for organizing labor: capitalism and socialism. ", Let me start by saying that I agree with Wolff's conclusions. Capitalism – the dominant economic system of our time – has once again become the subject of criticism and opposition. and vice versa. After studying philosophy and economics, I came to a very similar conclusion as Richard Wolff. On a personal front, I believe in a lot of the leftist, Marxian principles and theories. i'm not sure i am the target audience for this book. The third part of this book, which I think was Wolff’s primary purpose, was theoretical and less interesting to me than his recap of the development and costs of modern capitalism - including the 20th century examples of state capitalism that many people believe represent socialism. List Price: 15.00* * Individual store prices may vary. He goes on to note that socialism as it has been practiced during the twentieth century cannot meet these needs either. This book is a revelation. This revolutionary reform should lead to greater democracy not only in our workplaces, Wolff argues, but in our politics as well. "—Cornel West. Besides several online lectures and some of Orwell’s books, Richard Wolff’s “Democracy at Work” introduced me to criticism of the contemporary system. Welcome back. Capitalism… Democracy at Work A Cure for Capitalism (Book) : Wolff, Richard D. : Wolff shows why and how to make democratic workplaces real. 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