Porchlight Business Book Awards season is here.

Making of a Democratic Economy How to Build Prosperity for the Many, Not the Few

The Making of a Democratic Economy: How to Build Prosperity for the Many, Not the Few

By Marjorie Kelly and Ted Howard

This book tells stories not just of activists and grassroots leaders but of the unexpected accomplices of the Democratic Economy. Seeds of a future beyond corporate capitalism and state socialism are being planted in hospital procurement departments, pension fund offices, and even company boardrooms. The road to a system grounded in community, democracy, and justice remains uncertain.

READ FULL DESCRIPTION

Quantity Price Discount
List Price $26.95  
1 - 24 $22.91 15%
25 - 99 $16.71 38%
100 - 249 $16.17 40%
250 - 499 $15.63 42%
500 + $15.36 43%

Quick Quote

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit

Non-returnable discount pricing

$26.95


Book Information

Publisher: Berrett-Koehler Publishers
Publish Date: 07/23/2019
Pages: 192
ISBN-13: 9781523099924
ISBN-10: 1523099925
Language: Eng

What We're Saying

December 17, 2019

Porchlight Editorial and Creative Director, Dylan Schleicher, takes us inside the best Big Ideas & New Perspectives books published in 2019. READ FULL DESCRIPTION

July 17, 2019

"We find ourselves in a moment of breakdown—but also a moment of unprecedented opportunity. Even as widespread faith in the workings of our economy is falling apart, unsung innovations are quietly arising. Entrepreneurs, business executives, investors, and community leaders are choosing to 'get in front of this problem,' showing how we can move beyond an economy that serves the few to one that serves the many." READ FULL DESCRIPTION

Full Description

Seven principles for a just and sustainable system, accompanied by true stories of "the people creating the institutions of the next economy" (Kat Taylor, cofounder, Beneficial State Bank). The extractive economy we live with now--designed by the 1 percent for the 1 percent--enables the financial elite to squeeze out maximum gain for themselves, heedless of damage to people or planet. But in this compelling book, Marjorie Kelly and Ted Howard show that there is a new economy emerging, focused on helping everyone thrive while respecting planetary boundaries. At a time when competing political visions are at stake the world over, this book urges a move beyond tinkering at the margins to address the systemic crisis of our economy. Kelly and Howard outline seven principles of what they call a Democratic Economy: community, inclusion, place (keeping wealth local), good work (putting labor before capital), democratized ownership, ethical finance, and sustainability. Each principle is paired with a place putting it into practice: Pine Ridge, Preston, Portland, Cleveland, and more. Included are stories not just of activists and grassroots leaders but of the unexpected accomplices of the Democratic Economy. Seeds of a future beyond corporate capitalism and state socialism are being planted in hospital procurement departments, pension fund offices, and even company boardrooms. The future remains uncertain--but Kelly and Howard help us understand how to nurture and grow those seeds into an equitable, ecologically sustainable economy that benefits all of us, not just the billionaires. "As champions of worker and community ownership, Kelly and Howard remind us that economic democracy is essential to political democracy and a viable human future." --David Korten, author of When Corporations Rule the World

About the Authors

Marjorie Kelly is Distinguished Senior Fellow at The Democracy Collaborative, a national R&D lab for a democratic economy. She was named by Fast Company as one of "15 people at the forefront of reinventing our economic system.

Learn More


Marjorie Kelly is the executive vice president and senior fellow at the Democracy Collaborative. She is the author of The Divine Right of Capital and Owning Our Future.

Ted Howard is the cofounder and the president of the Democracy Collaborative.

Learn More

We have updated our privacy policy. Click here to read our full policy.