Participatory and Workplace Democracy: A Theoretical Development in Critique of Liberalsim

Mason, Professor Emeritus Ronald

ISBN 10: 0809309920 / ISBN 13: 9780809309924

Published by Southern Illinois University Press, 1982

About this Item

248 pp, Cover is black cloth with silver lettering on spine - no visible wear (see photos provided). Front and back endpapers are black. No highlighting, under lining or notations. Prompt shipping includes tracking.

Seller Inventory # ABE-1772225090517

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Participatory and Workplace Democracy: A Theoretical Development in Critique of Liberalsim
• Publisher: Southern Illinois University Press
• Publication Date: 1982
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0809309920
• ISBN 13: 9780809309924
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition: 1st Edition
• Condition: Fine
• Dimensions: 1W x 6H x 9D inches 1 inches width by 6 inches height by 9 inches depth

About this title

Synopsis

“The times demand action and reaction, but not despair,” contends Ronald M. Mason in this soundly constructed argument that all should have more control over their lives and that this control should be exercised not only in the home and during hours of leisure but in the workplace as well.

Mason indicts liberalism, theoretically an ally of democracy, as the chief culprit in de­priving us of a voice in the workplace, the place where most of us spend nearly a third of our days. The problem is that classical lib­eralism divides life into two spheres: the so­cial and the political. Life, liberty, and prop­erty—everything, in fact, that the human being values—fall into the social orb. There­fore liberalism champions the social sphere, scorns the political. To the liberal, the politi­cal sphere is sordid, a thing to be avoided except by those few governmental represen­tatives we elect to protect life, liberty, and property.

Yet the political constitutes a major por­tion of our lives, and, according to Mason, it is at the level of the workplace that we can acquire the habits of participation that will carry over into our community lives as well. He demonstrates that people who participate in decision making in the workplace are likely to enter the governmental arena. Participation creates involvement; nonpar­ticipation breeds apathy. Thus, Mason ar­gues, democratic participation in the work­place benefits both the individual and the community.

About the Author

Ronald M. Mason is Assistant Professor of Political Science at Southern Illinois Univer­sity Carbondale.