America Beyond Capitalism

GAR ALPEROVITZ, via John Duda, jduda at democracycollaborative.org,
KEANE BHATT, keanebhatt at gmail.com
THOMAS HANNAH, tmhanna at democracycollaborative.org

Alperovitz, author of the just-released new edition of America Beyond Capitalism wrote an op-ed titled "Worker-Owners of America, Unite!" published in today's New York Times.

The piece states: "A mere 1 percent of Americans own just under half of the country's financial assets and other investments. America, it would seem, is less equitable than ever. But at another level, something different has been quietly brewing in recent decades: more and more Americans are involved in co-ops, worker-owned companies and other alternatives to the traditional capitalist model.

"Some 130 million Americans now participate in the ownership of co-op businesses and credit unions. More than 13 million Americans have become worker-owners of more than 11,000 employee-owned companies, six million more than belong to private-sector unions. ...

"If such cooperative efforts continue to increase in number, scale and sophistication, they may suggest the outlines, however tentative, of something very different from both traditional, corporate-dominated capitalism and traditional socialism. ...

"These efforts are minor compared with the power of Wall Street banks and the other giants of the American economy. On the other hand, it is precisely these institutions that have created enormous economic problems and fueled public anger. In 2009 a Rasmussen poll reported that Americans under 30 years old were 'essentially evenly divided' as to whether they preferred 'capitalism' or 'socialism.'

"A long era of economic stagnation could well lead to a profound national debate about an America that is dominated neither by giant corporations nor by socialist bureaucrats. It would be a fitting next direction for a troubled nation that has long styled itself as of, by and for the people."

Bhatt and Hannah are researchers for Alperovitz who are also available for interview.

Alperovitz's is also a professor of political economy at the University of Maryland and a founder of the Democracy Collaborative. His op-ed, "Worker-Owners of America, Unite!".