The Soul of Capitalism: Opening Paths to a Moral Economy

Is it possible to alter the rigid market-driven economy that defines American capitalism? William Greider believes it is. A national affairs correspondent for The Nation and a reporter for over forty years, Greider argues that a striking imbalance of power sets the terms of employment for most American workers. The book displays his talent as a reporter and writer as he skillfully interweaves examples of Americans struggling to find dignity and autonomy in the 21st-century American workplace. From a temp worker in Virginia who held forty-six jobs in three years, to Boeing's 20,000 engineers and technicians who carried out a forty-day strike because the company installed a computerized design system without consulting them, he shows how workers at all levels are being disenfranchised. Perhaps an eternal optimist, Greider believes that Americans have reached a moment in history when this system can and is being transformed. But change will not come from big business or big politics, he says. Instead, it will be in the form of grassroots efforts from ordinary people. These individuals will be the pioneers who make a difference, he concludes.