Civilizing the Economy
A New Economics of Provision

Presents a bold new way of thinking about the economy based on provisions rather than property.

Marvin T. Brown (Author)

9780521767323, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 1 April 2010

282 pages, 33 b/w illus. 3 tables
23.5 x 15.8 x 1.7 cm, 0.58 kg

'Marvin Brown offers a creative new perspective on the economy, much needed in the face of two global crises: climate change and the economic collapse of 2008 that highlights the flaws of current economic thinking. This creative approach will stimulate, provoke, and, hopefully, move the conversation about what economy should look like in the future forward.' Sandra Waddock, Galligan Chair of Strategy, Boston College

When a handful of people thrive while whole industries implode and millions suffer, it is clear that something is wrong with our economy. The wealth of the few is disconnected from the misery of the many. In Civilizing the Economy, Marvin Brown traces the origin of this economics of dissociation to early capitalism, showing how this is illustrated in Adam Smith's denial of the central role of slavery in wealth creation. In place of the Smithian economics of property, Brown proposes that we turn to the original meaning of economics as household management. He presents a new framework for the global economy that reframes its purpose as the making of provisions instead of the accumulation of property. This bold new vision establishes the civic sphere as the platform for organizing an inclusive economy and as a way to move toward a more just and sustainable world.

List of figures
List of tables
Preface
1. Introduction: creating a just and sustainable economy
Part I. Creating a New Economic Framework: 2. Adam Smith's silence and an economics of property
3. Reclaiming the notions of provision and family
4. Making provisions in a dangerous world
Part II. The Civic Option: 5. From property relations to civic relations
6. Society, civil society and the market
7. Restoring reciprocity
8. Civic norms and market competition
Part III. A Civic View of Labor, Land, and Money: 9. Labor: employment as engagement
10. Land: ownership as a concession
11. Money: commodity or credit
Part IV. Civilizing Economic Systems: 12. A world of systems
13. Imagining stakeholder economy
14. The ethics of economic systems
15. Changing systems of provision
Part V. A Civic Agenda: 16. The civic obligations of corporations: 17. Creating circumstances for civic conversations
Appendix: free enterprise and the economics of slavery
Bibliography
Index.

Subject Areas: Business ethics & social responsibility [KJG], Economics, finance, business & management [K], Ethics & moral philosophy [HPQ]