America the possible : manifesto for a new economy

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Title:

America the possible : manifesto for a new economy

Author:

Speth, James Gustave.

ISBN:

9780300180763

Publication Information:

New Haven : Yale University Press, c2012.

Physical Description:

xiii, 249 p. ; 24 cm.

Contents:

1. A nation in trouble -- Society at the breaking point -- The weight of the world -- Running our of planet -- 2. In the beauty of the morning -- America the possible -- 3. Transformations -- A sustaining post-growth economy -- System changes -- 4. Writhing free of an old skin -- Realizing democracy -- The movement.

Subject Term:

Environmental policy -- United States.

Social justice -- United States.

Progressivism (United States politics)

Geographic Term:

United States -- Economic policy.

Summary:

"In this third volume of his award-winning American Crisis series, James Gustave Speth makes his boldest and most ambitious contribution yet. He looks unsparingly at the sea of troubles in which the United States now finds itself, charts a course through the discouragement and despair commonly felt today, and envisions what he calls America the Possible, an attractive and plausible future that we can still realize.The book identifies a dozen features of the American political economy--the country's basic operating system--where transformative change is essential. It spells out the specific changes that are needed to move toward a new political economy--one in which the true priority is to sustain people and planet. Supported by a compelling "theory of change" that explains how system change can come to America, the book also presents a vision of political, social, and economic life in a renewed America. Speth envisions a future that will be well worth fighting for. In short, this is a book about the American future and the strong possibility that we yet have it in ourselves to use our freedom and our democracy in powerful ways to create something fine, a reborn America, for our children and grandchildren"--

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Library	Call Number	Status
Searching... R.H. Stafford Library (Woodbury)	338.973 SPE	Searching... Unknown

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Summary

In this third volume of his award-winning American Crisis series, James Gustave Speth makes his boldest and most ambitious contribution yet. He looks unsparingly at the sea of troubles in which the United States now finds itself, charts a course through the discouragement and despair commonly felt today, and envisions what he calls America the Possible, an attractive and plausible future that we can still realize.

The book identifies a dozen features of the American political economy--the country's basic operating system--where transformative change is essential. It spells out the specific changes that are needed to move toward a new political economy--one in which the true priority is to sustain people and planet. Supported by a compelling "theory of change" that explains how system change can come to America, the book also presents a vision of political, social, and economic life in a renewed America. Speth envisions a future that will be well worth fighting for. In short, this is a book about the American future and the strong possibility that we yet have it in ourselves to use our freedom and our democracy in powerful ways to create something fine, a reborn America, for our children and grandchildren.

Author Notes

James Gustave Speth is Distinguished Senior Fellow at Demos, and Professor of Law at Vermont Law School. He is the author of Red Sky at Morning and The Bridge at the Edge of the World.

Reviews (2)

Kirkus Review

A longtime environmental policymaker and activist suggests a sweeping plan to save the United States by revamping the entire political-economic-societal paradigm. Speth served as the environmental advisor to President Jimmy Carter and is currently a Vermont Law School professor. His two previous books--Red Sky at Morning (2005) and The Bridge at the End of the World (2008)--were the first two installments in what can be considered a trilogy. He opens America the Possible with a familiar catalog of America's ills, including environmental degradation, overdependence on fossil fuels, second-rate health care, income inequality, the unfair tax system and the hegemony of multinational corporations. Speth concedes that his agenda is daunting, and he suggests that it probably could not be fully achieved until at least 2050, even if a majority of voters could be assembled to support it. However, because he believes the country is in danger of failing the greater part of its citizenry unless current policies are altered, he chooses optimism, proposing specific reforms that can become reality if undertaken in a deliberate, measured way. Speth understands that the populace must move beyond an electoral choice between the equally hidebound Republican and Democratic parties, and he calls for a uniting of political progressives to form an electoral majority. The biggest weakness of Speth's argument is his vagueness in showing how to persuade tens of millions of registered voters to coalesce into a progressive political movement. The author admits that it has been difficult to bring even like-minded individuals together, and he explains why environmentalists and social-justice liberals focusing on employee rights in the job market have too often failed to work in tandem. A hopeful book that generally fails to close the gap between our current situation and what Speth envisions for future generations.]] Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Choice Review

It is no secret that the US, which rightly claimed the 20th century to be its own, is declining in many aspects. Causes for this are both external and internal. Many thoughtful thinkers have been reflecting on this sad spectacle, offering a variety of solutions. This book is one such, and it does a marvelous job of summarizing the most pressing problems and offering realistic and promising solutions. Speth (Vermont Law School), also author of The Bridge at the End of the World (CH, Oct'08, 46-1022) and Red Sky at Morning (CH, Jul'04, 41-6527), exposes the corruption that has entered the system and calls for drastic changes in the country's political and economic framework, many elements of which have become obsolete, if not dangerous. Capitalism and democracy need to be reconsidered. Speth discusses many practices and issues (e.g., consumerism, wastefulness, and the electoral colleges) that citizens have come to accept unquestioningly but that are in dire need of reform. Social justice liberals, environmentalists, and all Americans of goodwill need to cooperate. Written by a sensitive, well-informed scholar who has served the country in various capacities, this book is optimistic even in the midst of seemingly insurmountable problems. Summing Up: Recommended. All collections. V. V. Raman emeritus, Rochester Institute of Technology

Preface	p. ix
1 Manifesto	p. 1
Part 1 A Nation in Trouble	p. 19
2 Society at the Breaking Point	p. 21
3 The Weight of the World	p. 40
4 Running Out of Planet	p. 52
Part 2 In the Beauty of the Morning	p. 67
5 America the Possible	p. 69
Part 3 Transformations	p. 89
6 A Sustaining Post-Growth Economy	p. 91
7 System Changes	p. 103
Part 4 Writhing Free of an Old Skin	p. 153
8 Realizing Democracy	p. 157
9 The Movement	p. 186
Notes	p. 199
Index	p. 237

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Summary

Author Notes

Reviews (2)

Kirkus Review

Choice Review

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