The Common Good [Reich, Robert B.] on desertcart.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. The Common Good Review: Democracy vs authoritarianism is not a binary choice - If Robert Reich has not written the best book of political economy in a long while, he has certainly written the most timely and necessary book of our time. And it’s written on one fundamental truth: The reality of American history is the pursuit of an ideal of individuality defined by the common good, not the achievement of individual Americans jockeying for personal advantage at any cost to the common good. Without the collective good, there is no society. Without regulatory restrictions insuring intellectual property and competitive fair play, there is no American economy. To suggest that our economy is “free” in any literal sense is to ignore the very principles of competition on which Adam Smith built his economic model. It is a model built on the ideal of truth and equitable competition, not the ideal of individualism without rules or constraints. If we are a nation of law and order, it is because we, in our collective sense of right and wrong, have voluntarily committed to the ideal. It’s a commitment not to our individuality, but to our individual peace and prosperity through collective cooperation and self-restraint. Without the self-restraint that can only come from recognition of the common good the police would have virtually no chance to keep the peace. It is the ideal, as much as the police (who clearly deserve our respect and support), which keep the streets safe. If modern science has taught us anything it is the degree to which our world is integrated. The quality of our environment is determined not by the local ecology of a prairie here and a rain forest there, but by the balance achieved within a complex and integrated global ecosystem. The most impactful economic theory flows not from presumed theoretical behaviors but from the recognition of how much our actual economic behavior is driven by human psychology. Human biology and medicine, by the same token, cannot be understood outside of the influence of evolution and the body’s integrated systems. If there is a common theme to the malaise currently paralyzing our politics it is the historically inaccurate digital perspective that there is only democracy and authoritarianism. Any attempt to promote the common good on any front, including gender and racial equality, immigration, prison reform, income inequality, etc., is quickly and effectively dismissed by the people holding the microphone with a simple allusion to the slippery slope of tyranny, fascism, and, of course, communism. As Reich points out, however, when Ayn Rand was establishing the ideological foundation of the conservatism now embraced by the ruling political class in Washington, the Allied powers did not defeat fascism, nor did the US defeat the USSR in the Cold War, by employing the opposite ideology. We defeated the repulsive authoritarianism of the mid-20th Century by doubling down on our commitment to the common good and the guiding ideal which redefined it in a uniquely American and effective way. Technology has integrated our lives more than ever before. And whether you think that’s good or bad, we aren’t going to turn back the clock of technology. (Nor do I think we should want to.) Attempting to make the common good irrelevant or undesirable by abandoning our collective ideals of a commitment to truth, inclusion, and compassion, we aren’t going to resurrect America’s golden years. Those years were built on a commitment to the common good, not its rejection. As any honest accountant will tell you, no accounting is without fault because no accounting can, by definition, be complete. The context of reality is just too complex and multi-faceted. Reich’s account is no different and many critics, I’m sure, will be quick to point to all of the offenses he chose not to include in his book. I could, too. But that kind of reciprocal finger pointing is one of the forces that undermine the common good today. It is the ultimate “broken window”, as Reich refers to it. The simple fact is that the problem is bigger than the individual injustices that collectively define it. In the same way, every solution Reich provides (e.g., commitment to truth, education, leadership as trusteeship, etc.) is part of a duality that he doesn’t always fully explore. If we have a responsibility in the name of the common good to universities, for example, they have a responsibility to our common good as well. Again, however, a duality is just that. Or to put it in more colloquial terms, two wrongs don’t make a right. All told, Robert Reich has a perspective. We all do. In the end, however, I don’t believe his is just a personal perspective. It is the reality: “If we are losing our national identity, it is not because we come in more colors speak more languages than before. If is because we are losing our sense of common good…We have never been a perfect union. Our finest moments have been when we sought to become more perfect than we had been.” A superb and quick read that should be on everyone’s reading list. Review: A masterful analysis of the roots of America's malaise with wise suggestions for how to recover - Just finished reading Robert Reich's 2018 book entitled "The Common Good." It is outstanding. As you may know, Reich was Secretary of Labor during the Clinton Administration and might have had a great career in politics if he was not 4'10" (due to a genetic anomaly). He just retired from UC Berkeley, where he was much loved. He starts by defining the common good as the fabric of public morality that is the foundation of any society or nation. More specifically, this means, among other things a shared sense of what is honorable and what is shameful, what is true and what is not, what patriotism really entails, and what constitutes admirable leadership. He observes that America's store of the common good has diminished since the '70s, attributing it mostly to a watershed change in the goals of corporate governance, to modern shareholder capitalism from classic stakeholder capitalism, where CEOs considered the needs not only of shareholders and the executive suite, but also of employees, customers, and local government. He further attributes it to a "do-whatever-it-takes to win" attitude to accrue more political power, make more money, and better rig the economic system in favor of the rich at the expense of the poor. He finishes by providing wise suggestions for reversing the loss of the common good, including a public movement to demand a change of goals for corporate leadership, a renewed effort by religious and other thought leaders to identify actions and persons worthy of honor, as well as persons whose actions, while perhaps successful in a political or financial sense, are nevertheless shameful. Finally, he suggests that schools need to re-institute classes in civics (cancelled for budgetary reasons) such that all citizens have a mastery of the basic features of the American government, at least to the level demanded of naturalized citizens.
| Best Sellers Rank | #116,809 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #55 in Civics & Citizenship (Books) #136 in Civil Rights & Liberties (Books) #239 in Philosophy of Ethics & Morality |
| Customer Reviews | 4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars (969) |
| Dimensions | 5.11 x 0.62 x 8 inches |
| Edition | Reprint |
| ISBN-10 | 0525436375 |
| ISBN-13 | 978-0525436379 |
| Item Weight | 7.2 ounces |
| Language | English |
| Print length | 208 pages |
| Publication date | January 15, 2019 |
| Publisher | Vintage |
G**R
Democracy vs authoritarianism is not a binary choice
If Robert Reich has not written the best book of political economy in a long while, he has certainly written the most timely and necessary book of our time. And it’s written on one fundamental truth: The reality of American history is the pursuit of an ideal of individuality defined by the common good, not the achievement of individual Americans jockeying for personal advantage at any cost to the common good. Without the collective good, there is no society. Without regulatory restrictions insuring intellectual property and competitive fair play, there is no American economy. To suggest that our economy is “free” in any literal sense is to ignore the very principles of competition on which Adam Smith built his economic model. It is a model built on the ideal of truth and equitable competition, not the ideal of individualism without rules or constraints. If we are a nation of law and order, it is because we, in our collective sense of right and wrong, have voluntarily committed to the ideal. It’s a commitment not to our individuality, but to our individual peace and prosperity through collective cooperation and self-restraint. Without the self-restraint that can only come from recognition of the common good the police would have virtually no chance to keep the peace. It is the ideal, as much as the police (who clearly deserve our respect and support), which keep the streets safe. If modern science has taught us anything it is the degree to which our world is integrated. The quality of our environment is determined not by the local ecology of a prairie here and a rain forest there, but by the balance achieved within a complex and integrated global ecosystem. The most impactful economic theory flows not from presumed theoretical behaviors but from the recognition of how much our actual economic behavior is driven by human psychology. Human biology and medicine, by the same token, cannot be understood outside of the influence of evolution and the body’s integrated systems. If there is a common theme to the malaise currently paralyzing our politics it is the historically inaccurate digital perspective that there is only democracy and authoritarianism. Any attempt to promote the common good on any front, including gender and racial equality, immigration, prison reform, income inequality, etc., is quickly and effectively dismissed by the people holding the microphone with a simple allusion to the slippery slope of tyranny, fascism, and, of course, communism. As Reich points out, however, when Ayn Rand was establishing the ideological foundation of the conservatism now embraced by the ruling political class in Washington, the Allied powers did not defeat fascism, nor did the US defeat the USSR in the Cold War, by employing the opposite ideology. We defeated the repulsive authoritarianism of the mid-20th Century by doubling down on our commitment to the common good and the guiding ideal which redefined it in a uniquely American and effective way. Technology has integrated our lives more than ever before. And whether you think that’s good or bad, we aren’t going to turn back the clock of technology. (Nor do I think we should want to.) Attempting to make the common good irrelevant or undesirable by abandoning our collective ideals of a commitment to truth, inclusion, and compassion, we aren’t going to resurrect America’s golden years. Those years were built on a commitment to the common good, not its rejection. As any honest accountant will tell you, no accounting is without fault because no accounting can, by definition, be complete. The context of reality is just too complex and multi-faceted. Reich’s account is no different and many critics, I’m sure, will be quick to point to all of the offenses he chose not to include in his book. I could, too. But that kind of reciprocal finger pointing is one of the forces that undermine the common good today. It is the ultimate “broken window”, as Reich refers to it. The simple fact is that the problem is bigger than the individual injustices that collectively define it. In the same way, every solution Reich provides (e.g., commitment to truth, education, leadership as trusteeship, etc.) is part of a duality that he doesn’t always fully explore. If we have a responsibility in the name of the common good to universities, for example, they have a responsibility to our common good as well. Again, however, a duality is just that. Or to put it in more colloquial terms, two wrongs don’t make a right. All told, Robert Reich has a perspective. We all do. In the end, however, I don’t believe his is just a personal perspective. It is the reality: “If we are losing our national identity, it is not because we come in more colors speak more languages than before. If is because we are losing our sense of common good…We have never been a perfect union. Our finest moments have been when we sought to become more perfect than we had been.” A superb and quick read that should be on everyone’s reading list.
J**N
A masterful analysis of the roots of America's malaise with wise suggestions for how to recover
Just finished reading Robert Reich's 2018 book entitled "The Common Good." It is outstanding. As you may know, Reich was Secretary of Labor during the Clinton Administration and might have had a great career in politics if he was not 4'10" (due to a genetic anomaly). He just retired from UC Berkeley, where he was much loved. He starts by defining the common good as the fabric of public morality that is the foundation of any society or nation. More specifically, this means, among other things a shared sense of what is honorable and what is shameful, what is true and what is not, what patriotism really entails, and what constitutes admirable leadership. He observes that America's store of the common good has diminished since the '70s, attributing it mostly to a watershed change in the goals of corporate governance, to modern shareholder capitalism from classic stakeholder capitalism, where CEOs considered the needs not only of shareholders and the executive suite, but also of employees, customers, and local government. He further attributes it to a "do-whatever-it-takes to win" attitude to accrue more political power, make more money, and better rig the economic system in favor of the rich at the expense of the poor. He finishes by providing wise suggestions for reversing the loss of the common good, including a public movement to demand a change of goals for corporate leadership, a renewed effort by religious and other thought leaders to identify actions and persons worthy of honor, as well as persons whose actions, while perhaps successful in a political or financial sense, are nevertheless shameful. Finally, he suggests that schools need to re-institute classes in civics (cancelled for budgetary reasons) such that all citizens have a mastery of the basic features of the American government, at least to the level demanded of naturalized citizens.
A**H
Very well articulated. Have been following him on facebook recently. The issue of common good being jettisoned is not confined to the US only, its a world wide phenomena.
S**N
Bin jetzt zur Hälfte durch. Tolles Buch. Komplexer Sachverhalt, einfach vermittelt. Warum der Gemeinsamkeitsgedanke in uns verloren geht und warum er so wichtig ist. Meiner Meinung nach sollte das jeder Lesen, der in der Politik und Wirtschaft zu tun hat. Oder einfach an einer vernünftig funktionierenden Gesellschaft interessiert ist.
T**N
I have to admitt, I am fan of Robert Reich. Very easy reading of complexs problem.
A**R
The author takes us on a well informed journey on what is causing poverty in Western Societies. However, much of the dialogue pertains to USA and it's Constitution and how society has strayed due to competition and self interest rather than determining the impact on communities. This has led to great disparities between the few at the top and the masses. The American Dream is dead if this continues unabated.
G**Y
This is a great book, and the five-star reviewers in the US amazon site have said everything as well as I could. I just want to add one thing - to the publishers. If you are bringing out a paperback version, please make the cover and design suit Robert Reich's anger, rage, passion and love. The hard back design makes it look and feel like a studious work of 19th century moral philosophy that no-one under 40 is ever going to read. So please - spice it up! Show colour! Include more illustrations and diagrams! Let the passion bleed and sing off the pages!
Trustpilot
2 weeks ago
4 days ago
