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

• Superior document: Studies in Critical Social Sciences, Volume 68
• VerfasserIn: Asimakopoulos, John,
• Place / Publishing House: Leiden, Netherlands : : Brill,, 2014.; ©2014
• Year of Publication: 2014
• Language: English
• Series: Studies in critical social sciences ; Volume 68.
• Physical Description: 1 online resource (229 p.)
• Notes: Description based upon print version of record.

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.

Table of Contents

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.