Egalitarianism of the Free Society: And the End of Class Conflict

Front Cover
Arena books, 2008 - Juvenile Nonfiction - 317 pages
The transformation of society and the world of work, in the industrialised countries over the past 60 years, have overtaken political systems in the democratic world. The old left/right political divide, which has marked the pattern of socio-economic struggle since 1789, has now ceased to be a useful tool in advancing the progress of humanity. This book presents the new realities in the spheres of social life, as an introduction to the author's forthcoming 3-volume work on Social Capitalism, which concentrates on the shattering economic and political changes in the contemporary world. What is to be the future of society if it is to advance in any meaningful sense? If society is to be egalitarian and at the same time free, it will need to ditch the ideologies of the past which so inspired our forebears. The book opens with 6 chapters discussing the role of high culture in a society where class associations have been minimised and elitism takes on quite a different meaning. In an upwardly aspiring society, and under a changed educational system, the best would be available for all in the practical democracy of the future. There then follow 11 chapters on the nature of property, which is projected as an individual right in fulfilling psychological needs. The political consequences are that property is presented as something contradicting its concept as understood in the traditional thinking of left or right wing politics. The practical implications of property are considered in their different life situations in separate chapters. Democracy, real or illusory, is discussed in 7 chapters, and historical arguments are evoked in exploring the erroneous beliefs and myths on the nature of freedom. The book concludes with 12 important chapters analysing those adverse intellectual influences in the 20th century responsible for undermining constructive thought in enabling a better world.
 

Contents

PART I
1
destroyer of initiative 9 How we unfavourably compare with Europe 10
10
The Responsible society
14
CHAPTER
20
CHAPTER 3
25
CHAPTER 5
42
How price became the criterion for American cultural values 2
51
PART II
63
CHAPTER 19
172
Reality and Myth
185
CHAPTER 21
196
CHAPTER 22
208
Democratic Society As a Realisation
219
Britain cannot survive in a vacuum 2 The challenge must be met 3
227
PART IV
239
CHAPTER 26
247

Political Conflict and Property
78
CHAPTER 9
87
CHAPTER 10
97
CHAPTER 11
104
Freedom of sole proprietorships and partnerships 2 Limited liability and
110
CHAPTER 14
125
CHAPTER 16
132
CHAPTER 17
142
PART III
153
CHAPTER 27
253
CHAPTER 29
264
The End of Freewill
272
Current problems can only be solved by creating new knowledge 2
281
Recognition of the ultimate reality of ideas is necessary for this 2
289
CHAPTER 36
299
SELECT BIBLIOGRAPHY page
307
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