In response to the conversation you had on the "air" about worker-owned companies:

This is something that I have tought of as the ideal -- free enterprise without the downfalls of capitalism, but not communism. It's something that I thought of 25 years ago when I was in college (and Avis was one of the few employee-owned large companies). Then, I called it "collectivism" because the company is collectively owned by the workers. Employee stock purchase plans offer a watered-down version of this, but without democracy in the workplace, there cannot truly be collectivism.

I say hands off employee stock purchase plans and I speak from experience. Democracy in the workplace sounds great but isn't a solid, functionable organised union prerequisite to this ? Where are our unions ? They have been practically dismantled and scattered. Their power has been so diminished that they no longer have a true lobby in the workplace. Why is the Bush administration not attacking the unions today ? Answer : because they're already whipped, bought-out, blindfolded and gagged.

Once again, I strongly encourage you all to read Gangs of America by Ted Nance. The discussions about Capitalism being corrupt and going too far, the ranting about us moving further to the left to restore "democracy" is obviously being fueld by individuals who are simply NOT aware of the successful direct assaults on what was initially a semi-democratic society by the Corporate elite and their paid-for politicians, judges and lawyers. Liberty has had the wool pulled over her eyes for the past 100+ years ! Are we really wide awake today ? While I agree with Dr. Alperovitz's ideas, I believe it is essential for us first to learn what went wrong in the U$A. Without this knowledge, we cannot return to a path of recovery.

Jayhawk:

Please remember seveal things:

1. It is amazing how much you can't cover in a one-hour interview.

2. I agree with you about unions as does Dr. Alperovitz. While I think that his ideas are good, I don't see how you get the critical mass without unions.

3. He's talking about specific positive steps we can take that voters on the left and on the right will support. He makes no claim that these ideas are a quick fix.

4. We talk about the problems of capitalism regularly on Radio Left. Again, it's amazing how much you can't cover in one hour.

I'm interested in knowing what you agreed with and the extent to which we can make these ideas effective.

I will say that with proper employee ownership and the stock voting privileges that come with it, a union may not needed since the employees now have the ability to form an employee's investor organization that could actually have more power than a union.

Howdy Geoff,

that's newspeak for hello btw. First off, I have to confess to not having heard each and every word exchanged within that one hour. I listen to Radio Left while at work and though I'm more or less pinned to a desk and chained to a phone and PC as I have been for the past 20+ years (not healthy), I occasionaly have to get up and walk to the printer, go to the john, etc. so I can't claim to have heard the complete interview. First off, I was impressed to hear new ideas along this line coming from a University Professor in the US. The most successful political ideas are initiated by the acedemic and intellectual as opposed to those ideas coming from less intelligent owners of big ideas conjurred up from the seat of the pants as some sort of heat of the moment "vision". Not to knock visions as long as they are followed up by some real researching and deep and drawn-out thinking from multiple perspectives. I support the idea of returning the power to the people through subtle changes acceptable to both the right and the left / at the grass roots level and on the communal level. That's exactly where the changes have to take place before we can put the big "D" back into Democracy. I also agree with a reduction of the work week though I'm not certain if this is supported by Professor Alperovitz. As a member of the german Industrie Gewerkschaft Metall (IGM for short) I was, as a much younger man, involved in the fight for and eventual implementation of the 35h work week so I'm can safely say it is, in theory and as long as it lasted, a good move towards lowering the unemployment rate while giving workers more time to enjoy life and spend more money all at the same time. As I stated, I'm not a big fan of employee stock plans. The reason being, companies are not willing to release an ample amount of stocks to employees as to enable a better lobby for the workers at shareholder meetings. Mind you, my personal experience with employee stock plans is limited to the larger corporations HON and MCIP, formally known as WCOM (get the picture?). If corporations were to release an unlimited amount of stocks to employees, not only would a larger number of employees pull together with the company to improve productivity and profits due to the fact is is aso "their" company, the employee lobby at stockholders meeting would be weighty enough to allow for a true voice. Decision makers with their ears to the ground usually make wiser decisions good for both the company and the employees. The same effect can be reached on a communal level when city-owned enterprises involve local citizens in the decision making process and the eventual benefits. How can we help the ideas come into effect ? Universities are a good place to start. It may take a while, but if the word can be passed along to future business executives there would at least be a remote chance of one of the brighter picking up on the idea of empowerment of the people. I can imagine community hearings being another good place to start. First off, things need to get worse, much worse. That's the easy part 'cause uncle Dubya and Mr. Dick are giving this country the dick real quick ! Step two which should proceed step one ; get involved. Get involved in local activities, local governments, and churches if you can stand the odor. Voice your opinions. Educate. Read the right books.....such as "America Beyond Capitalism" and "Gangs of America". Get the facts before you launch your assault on the public. Take an evening class in effective debating. Run for office ! Etc. etc. Now for moi, I'm a hypocrit. I live not in the country of my birth. I'm not involved in local politics. But for the greater part, I live what I say and I'm not afraid of being labelled a Communist because that's where the heart is....in the communities. Acceptable ? I know I can do better and I have done better but I don't think I need to go into detail here about whom I used to spend my monday evenings with or what they stand for or how often we (still) hit the streets. Oh, and the one hour......one hour with Dr. Alperovitz on Radio Left was enough to catch my interst in his book. It was in affect, a very effective hour. Thanks for that Geoff.

I forgot one very important item which Gar also mentions ; wealth taxation. The top heavy, super wealthy should be carrying a much larger bill. Not clearly put....it is not acceptable for the weathly to get away with not paying their share of taxes. It's just not healthy for a country, a state or a company to have one out of one hundred getting richer and richer while the other 99 slide deeper and deeper into poverty. Now, how do we sell that idea ? See Step 1 (First off) from above.