The Making of a Democratic Economy

Seventy-one percent of Americans say they believe the economic system is rigged against them--but what's the alternative? This quietly subversive book challenges the unquestioned norms and assumptions of today's capitalism--and shows how a better future is being built through the work of unsung leaders in communities everywhere. From Pine Ridge to Cleveland, a fundamentally different economy is in the making. It's no longer a system of, by, and for the 1 percent. It's an economy of, by, and for the people--a democratic economy that can meet the essential needs of all while respecting planetary boundaries. At a time when competing political visions are at stake the world over, this book urges a move beyond tinkering at the margins to address the systemic crisis at the heart of our economic system. Visiting the frontiers of the new, Marjorie Kelly and Ted Howard distill the first principles at work in this emerging movement: community and sustainability are the alpha and omega, inclusion is vital, labor comes before capital, place matters, finance is ethical, and ownership is democratized. This book tells stories not just of activists and grassroots leaders but of the unexpected accomplices of the democratic economy. Seeds of a future beyond corporate capitalism and state socialism are being planted in hospital procurement departments, pension fund offices, and even company boardrooms.