1.

Record Nr.

UNINA9910820084303321

Autore

Asimakopoulos John

Titolo

Social structures of direct democracy : on the political economy of equality / / by John Asimakopoulos

Pubbl/distr/stampa

Leiden, Netherlands : , : Brill, , 2014

©2014

ISBN

90-04-26275-X

Descrizione fisica

1 online resource (229 p.)

Collana

Studies in Critical Social Sciences, , 1573-4234 ; ; Volume 68

Disciplina

321.8

Soggetti

Direct democracy

Equality

Social structure

Lingua di pubblicazione

Inglese

Formato

Materiale a stampa

Livello bibliografico

Monografia

Note generali

Description based upon print version of record.

Nota di bibliografia

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Nota di contenuto

Preliminary Material -- Introduction -- Theory, Praxis, and Change -- Relations of Authority -- Material Relations -- Social Structure -- Conclusion: No Islands of Egalitarianism in a Sea of Inequality -- Afterword: What Can Grow in the Graveyard for Orthodoxies? / Richard Gilman-Opalsky -- Bibliography -- Index.

Sommario/riassunto

Neoliberalism has pushed capitalism to its limits, hollowing out global economies and lives in the process, while people have no voice. John Asimakopoulos addresses the problem with a theory to practice model that reconciles Marxism, with its diverse radical currents, and democratic theory. Social Structures of Direct Democracy develops a political economy of structural equality in large-scale society making strong empirical arguments for radical transformation. Key concepts include filling positions of political and economic authority (e.g., legislatures and corporate boards) with randomly selected citizens leaving the demos as the executive. Asimakopoulos shows that an egalitarian society leads to greater innovation, sustainable economic growth, and positive social benefits in contrast to economies based on individualism, competition, and inequality.