THE RESURGENT LIBERAL

by Robert B. Reich ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 4, 1989

A collection of essays from eminent political and economic analyst Reich (The Next American Frontier, Tales of a New America). Having correctly predicted (within one month) the stock market crash, Reich now takes another leap into prognostication, predicting that the next decade might bring a liberal rebirth. He looks ahead to the defeat of greed and opportunism in our society in favor of a greater appreciation of loyalty, collaboration, civic virtue, and responsibility to future generations. In Reich's ideal world, avarice will be discouraged by reinstituting higher marginal tax rates on ""princely incomes,"" and the pain of economic dislocation will be eased via extended unemployment insurance, job training, and day care (though one tongue-in-cheek essay predicts the return of women to the home in 1995: ""That generation of women tried to do too much. . .they made themselves miserable, and everyone around them. My generation--we just make everyone happy""). Reich suspects, too, that America's dismal productivity problem (2% per-year growth compared to Japan's 6%) might ultimately be solved by American enterprises becoming owned and controlled by all of their employees. The essays go on to rue the rise of the paper economy; deal with the difficulty in generating new wealth; and discuss economic nationalism and American politics and social trends (""Final thoughts on Fearless Liberalism"" is a gem, arguing that ""liberal permissiveness had laid us open to exploitation"" and advising liberals to embrace a more informed and strategic approach to global change). Thoughtful opinions, thoughtfully written.

Pub Date: Oct. 4, 1989

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Times Books

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 1989

Categories: NONFICTION