LEADER 03660nam 2200565 450 001 9910784524803321 005 20200520144314.0 010 $a0-19-534916-4 010 $a1-4294-0336-5 035 $a(CKB)1000000000399488 035 $a(StDuBDS)AH24083253 035 $a(MiAaPQ)EBC4703097 035 $a(Au-PeEL)EBL4703097 035 $a(CaPaEBR)ebr11273787 035 $a(OCoLC)476025875 035 $a(EXLCZ)991000000000399488 100 $a20161013h19991999 uy 0 101 0 $aeng 135 $aur||||||||||| 181 $2rdacontent 182 $2rdamedia 183 $2rdacarrier 200 10$aIllusions of prosperity $eAmerica's working families in an age of economic insecurity /$fJoel Blau 210 1$aNew York, New York ;$aLondon, [England] :$cOxford University Press,$d1999. 210 4$d1999 215 $a1 online resource (288 p.) 300 $aIncludes index. 311 $a0-19-514606-9 330 $aFaith in the free market has become a basic tenet of public policy debate, but as this text demonstrates, so-called "free market" programmes have been a dismal failure, heightening inequality, lowering the median standard of living, and steadily eroding the quality of our social and political life. 330 $bFaith in the free market - the idea that, for instance, profit-seeking managed care companies will improve the health care delivery system - has become a basic tenet of public policy debate. But as Joel Blau demonstrates in this eye-opening book, so-called "free market" programmes have been a dismal failure, heightening inequality, lowering the median standard of living, and steadily eroding the quality of our social and political life. In Illusions of Prosperity, Blau launches a far-reaching assault on the idea that "the market" knows best. Blau writes that while the share of the national income held by the bottom four fifths of the population (the poor and broad middle class combined) has continued to decline, the top fifth gained 97 percent of the increase in total household income between 1979 and 1994. "Few experiments," Blau comments, "yield such clear outcomes. Although many had hoped to benefit from the new market economy, this affluent fifth is the only segment of the population that truly has." Blau looks at recent reforms in NAFTA, education, job training, welfare, and much more, showing that the new social policies have made matters worse, because reforms that rely on the market can't compensate for the market's deficiencies. Instead, he calls for a stronger, more caring government to counter the debilitating effects of the market, and he urges the development of the broadest possible political alliances to ensure economic security. Sure to raise controversy, Illusions of Prosperity turns today's conventional wisdom inside out, making a profound case for the importance of a strong government in a world where markets do not have all the answers. 606 $aForeign trade and employment$zUnited States 606 $aFree trade$zUnited States 606 $aUnemployment$zUnited States 606 $aPublic welfare$zUnited States 606 $aBusiness relocation$zUnited States 607 $aUnited States$xEconomic policy$y1993-2001 615 0$aForeign trade and employment 615 0$aFree trade 615 0$aUnemployment 615 0$aPublic welfare 615 0$aBusiness relocation 676 $a331.1/0973 700 $aBlau$b Joel$01123428 801 0$bMiAaPQ 801 1$bMiAaPQ 801 2$bMiAaPQ 906 $aBOOK 912 $a9910784524803321 996 $aIllusions of prosperity$93800296 997 $aUNINA