Pragmatism and the Political Economy of Cultural Revolution, 1850–1940

Pragmatism and the Political Economy of Cultural Revolution, 1850–1940
Author: James Livingston
Publisher: Univ of North Carolina Press
Total Pages: 425
Release: 2000-11-09
Genre: History
ISBN: 0807863033

The rise of corporate capitalism was a cultural revolution as well as an economic event, according to James Livingston. That revolution resides, he argues, in the fundamental reconstruction of selfhood, or subjectivity, that attends the advent of an 'age of surplus' under corporate auspices. From this standpoint, consumer culture represents a transition to a society in which identities as well as incomes are not necessarily derived from the possession of productive labor or property. From the same standpoint, pragmatism and literary naturalism become ways of accommodating the new forms of solidarity and subjectivity enabled by the emergence of corporate capitalism. So conceived, they become ways of articulating alternatives to modern, possessive individualism. Livingston argues accordingly that the flight from pragmatism led by Lewis Mumford was an attempt to refurbish a romantic version of modern, possessive individualism. This attempt still shapes our reading of pragmatism, Livingston claims, and will continue to do so until we understand that William James was not merely a well-meaning middleman between Charles Peirce and John Dewey and that James's pragmatism was both a working model of postmodern subjectivity and a novel critique of capitalism.

Political Economy of New Pragmatism

Political Economy of New Pragmatism
Author: Grzegorz W. Kolodko
Publisher: Springer Nature
Total Pages: 279
Release: 2022-09-17
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 3031122631

This book provides answers to fundamental questions of sustainable development and international cooperation in light of irreversible globalization. Based on comprehensive research and a wealth of experience from his own political activities, the author offers an insightful analysis of the globalized economy and its political, cultural and ecological context. Presenting an objective assessment, the author diagnoses the state of affairs and formulates recipes to overcome present day challenges, such as income inequalities, climate change, demographic imbalance and the new Cold War, which overlap with the “black trinity”: populism, nationalism and authoritarianism. "Grzegorz Kolodko is one of the most acute observers of the international economy, based on long experience both as a practitioner and as an academic. His writings are always an important starting point for debate and discussion about the political economy of globalization." Francis Fukuyama, Stanford University, author of “The End of History” "Grzegorz Kolodko unites deep policy experience, a vast breadth of observation and a solid grip on real-world economics in his case for a new pragmatism. For all involved in the causes of peace, justice, shared prosperity and public purpose, he is a leader and an ally." James K. Galbraith, The University of Texas at Austin "Dr. Kolodko delivers comprehensive and inspiring economic analysis, drawing on his rich historical political leadership. His probing and insightful assessment of globalization in today's and tomorrow's world is a must read." Rev. Jesse L. Jackson, President of Rainbow Coalition and International Civil Rights Activist

Truth, Errors, and Lies

Truth, Errors, and Lies
Author: Grzegorz W. Kołodko
Publisher: Columbia University Press
Total Pages: 474
Release: 2012-09-04
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 0231150695

Grzegorz W. Kolodko, one of the world's leading authorities on economics and development policy and a key architect of Poland's successful economic reforms, applies his far-reaching knowledge to the past and future of the world economy, introducing a framework for understanding our global situation that transcends any single discipline or paradigm. Deploying a novel mix of scientific evaluation and personal observation, Kolodko begins with a brief discussion of misinformation and its perpetuation in economics and politics. He criticizes the simplification of complex economic and social issues and investigates the link between developments in the global economy and cultural change, scientific discoveries, and political fluctuations. Underscoring the necessity of conceptual and theoretical innovation in understanding our global economic situation, Kolodko offers a provocative study of globalization and the possibility of coming out ahead in an era of worldwide interdependence. Deeply critical of neoliberalism, which sought to transfer economic control exclusively to the private sector, Kolodko explores the virtues of social-economic development and the new rules of the economic game. He concludes with a look at our near and distant future, questioning whether we have a say in its making.

Dewey, Pragmatism and Economic Methodology

Dewey, Pragmatism and Economic Methodology
Author: Elias Khalil
Publisher: Routledge
Total Pages: 727
Release: 2004-02-05
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 1135996679

This book brings together, for the first time, philosophers of pragmatism and economists interested in methodological questions. The main theoretical thrust of Dewey is to unite inquiry with behavior and this book's contributions assess this insight in the light of developments in modern American philosophy, social and legal theories, and the theor

The Priority of Democracy

The Priority of Democracy
Author: Jack Knight
Publisher: Princeton University Press
Total Pages: 343
Release: 2011-08-22
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 1400840333

Why democracy is the best way of deciding how decisions should be made Pragmatism and its consequences are central issues in American politics today, yet scholars rarely examine in detail the relationship between pragmatism and politics. In The Priority of Democracy, Jack Knight and James Johnson systematically explore the subject and make a strong case for adopting a pragmatist approach to democratic politics—and for giving priority to democracy in the process of selecting and reforming political institutions. What is the primary value of democracy? When should we make decisions democratically and when should we rely on markets? And when should we accept the decisions of unelected officials, such as judges or bureaucrats? Knight and Johnson explore how a commitment to pragmatism should affect our answers to such important questions. They conclude that democracy is a good way of determining how these kinds of decisions should be made—even if what the democratic process determines is that not all decisions should be made democratically. So, for example, the democratically elected U.S. Congress may legitimately remove monetary policy from democratic decision-making by putting it under the control of the Federal Reserve. Knight and Johnson argue that pragmatism offers an original and compelling justification of democracy in terms of the unique contributions democratic institutions can make to processes of institutional choice. This focus highlights the important role that democracy plays, not in achieving consensus or commonality, but rather in addressing conflicts. Indeed, Knight and Johnson suggest that democratic politics is perhaps best seen less as a way of reaching consensus or agreement than as a way of structuring the terms of persistent disagreement.

The Future of Capitalism

The Future of Capitalism
Author: Paul Collier
Publisher: HarperCollins
Total Pages: 369
Release: 2018-12-04
Genre: History
ISBN: 0062748661

Bill Gates's Five Books for Summer Reading 2019 From world-renowned economist Paul Collier, a candid diagnosis of the failures of capitalism and a pragmatic and realistic vision for how we can repair it. Deep new rifts are tearing apart the fabric of the United States and other Western societies: thriving cities versus rural counties, the highly skilled elite versus the less educated, wealthy versus developing countries. As these divides deepen, we have lost the sense of ethical obligation to others that was crucial to the rise of post-war social democracy. So far these rifts have been answered only by the revivalist ideologies of populism and socialism, leading to the seismic upheavals of Trump, Brexit, and the return of the far-right in Germany. We have heard many critiques of capitalism but no one has laid out a realistic way to fix it, until now. In a passionate and polemical book, celebrated economist Paul Collier outlines brilliantly original and ethical ways of healing these rifts—economic, social and cultural—with the cool head of pragmatism, rather than the fervor of ideological revivalism. He reveals how he has personally lived across these three divides, moving from working-class Sheffield to hyper-competitive Oxford, and working between Britain and Africa, and acknowledges some of the failings of his profession. Drawing on his own solutions as well as ideas from some of the world’s most distinguished social scientists, he shows us how to save capitalism from itself—and free ourselves from the intellectual baggage of the twentieth century.

Pragmatism, Feminism, and Democracy

Pragmatism, Feminism, and Democracy
Author: James Livingston
Publisher: Psychology Press
Total Pages: 252
Release: 2001
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 9780415930307

Pragmatism, Feminism, and Democracy is James Livingston's virtuoso reflection on the period between 1890 and 1930, a primal scene of American history during which a wave of intellectual currents came together--and fell apart--to reorient society. Tying in critical insights on corporate capitalism, consumer culture, populism, and the American Left, Livingston analyzes the intersections and similarities of pragmatism and feminism to yield an original, provocative blend of historiography, feminist theory, and American intellectual history.

Theories of Political Economy

Theories of Political Economy
Author: James A. Caporaso
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Total Pages: 258
Release: 1992-08-28
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 9780521425780

This exploration of some of the more important frameworks used for understanding the relationship between politics and economics includes the classical, Marxian, Keynesian, neoclassical, state-centered, power-centered, and justice-centered.

American Political Economy in Global Perspective

American Political Economy in Global Perspective
Author: Harold L. Wilensky
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Total Pages: 385
Release: 2012-02-29
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 1107018099

This book is a guide to claims about the proper role of government and markets in a global economy. Moving between systematic comparison of 19 rich democracies and debate about what the United States can do to restore a more civilized, egalitarian, and fair society, Harold L. Wilensky tells us how six of these countries got on a low road to economic progress and which components of their labor-crunch strategy are uniquely American. He provides an overview of the impact of major dimensions of globalization, only one of which - the interaction of the internationalization of finance and the rapid increase in the autonomy of central banks - undermines either national sovereignty or job security, labor standards, and the welfare state. Although Wilensky views American policy and politics through the lens of globalization, he concludes that the nation-state remains the center of personal identity, social solidarity, and political action. He concentrates on what national differences mean for the well-being of nations and their people. Drawing on lessons from abroad and from America's own past successes, Wilensky shows how we can reverse our three-decade decline. He argues that, in order to get off the low road, we must overcome the myths of "moderation," the rise of the "independent voter," and a rightward shift of the electorate. He specifies a feasible domestic agenda that matches majority sentiments in all rich democracies.

Sufficient Reason

Sufficient Reason
Author: Daniel W. Bromley
Publisher: Princeton University Press
Total Pages: 268
Release: 2006
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 9780691124193

"Bromley argues that standard economic accounts see institutions as mere constraints on otherwise autonomous individual action. Some approaches to institutional economics - particularly the "new" institutional economics - suggest that economic institutions emerge spontaneously from the voluntary interaction of economic agents as they go about pursuing their best advantage. He suggests that this approach misses the central fact that economic institutions are the explicit and intended result of authoritative agents - legislators, judges, administrative officers, heads of states, village leaders - who volitionally decide upon working rules and entitlement regimes whose very purpose is to induce behaviors (and hence plausible outcomes) that constitute the sufficient reasons for the institutional arrangements they create."--BOOK JACKET.