Neo-Liberalism or Democracy?

Is it true that there is no alternative to the neo-liberal ideology of free trade, deregulation of markets, and government abandonment of social programmes? Must we accept, in the name of globalisation, the relentless pressure to reduce wages and cut social spending? Can poor countries pursue no other route to development other than opening their economies to global forces?

In exploring these questions, the author shows that current policies are delivering neither sustained economic growth nor other fundamentals of people’s wellbeing.

He also argues it is possible to construct a democratic economic strategy that produces growth and equity, while protecting the environment and securing local communities.

Arthur MacEwan was educated at Chicago and Harvard. He is now Professor of Economics at the University of Massachusetts Boston.