'The Good Society'

Even when you disagree with him, John Kenneth Galbraith is worth a read. This book while short touches on key aspects of a just society, a society Americans experienced after the Great depression till recent times. What happened that America became so divided and so separated by wealth and privilege? The ideas contained in this short book point to what American values were not too long ago.

"In this slim volume, eminent economist Galbraith tackles the question of what, exactly, is a "good society." Most Americans would agree with the components of Galbraith's "good society": economic growth; universal access to education; and protection for the young, old, disabled, and the environment. He parts company with the pundits in his disbelief that the "good society" can be obtained through adherence to a particular ideology, arguing instead that rigid philosophies must be abandoned and each issue considered in all its complexity. With his usual elegance and common sense, the Harvard professor emeritus discusses such issues as NAFTA, the balanced budget amendment, and the flat income tax, always focusing on their economic ramifications and effect on the common good. You will find no numbers or statistics here, just an optimistic, yet realistic, philosophical discourse on social welfare, economics, and politics in the 1990s." Eris Weaver (Review from Amazon)

Read a bit here.

http://www.amazon.com/Good-Society-Humane-Agenda/dp/0395859980

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