Looking Forward: Participatory Economics in the Twenty First Century

As the yellow ribbons come down and we begin to address our domestic problems, this manifesto can serve as a useful vehicle for discussion of alternative economic arrangements. The authors do not regard the rise of market economics in "socialist" states as proof of capitalism's beneficence: the egalitarian and participatory aspects of socialism never prevailed in the perverted brand applied behind the Iron Curtain. The authors propose a communitarian alternative based on self-management, dispersed decision-making, and coordination of production with consumption. Their system exploits new information technologies and assumes a boundless cooperative spirit among participants. Scenarios describe self-managed factories, households, neighborhoods, an airport, and the book's actual publisher. Readers put off by the functional details may browse through the highlights in the margins. A useful addition for collections on alternative political and economic systems.
- Michael Stevenson, Harvard Business Sch.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.