Tag Archives: American Dream

The Friedman Doctrine 50 Years On: A Total Disaster

On September 13, 1970, Milton Friedman penned and Op-Ed for the New York Times that was essentially the opening shot of the economic civil war between the rival economic ideas of John Maynard Keynes and F. W. Hayek. Friedman, a … Continue reading

Posted in 2040, Human Relations, Imagine2012, Society | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Worker Co-ops and the American Dream, part 6

The Union-Co-op as a Pathway to Restoring the American Dream As the effects of the Great Recession linger even ten years later, Americans seek new avenues to meet their needs and desires. The labor movement has largely been fighting a … Continue reading

Posted in American Dream | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Worker Co-ops and the American Dream, part 5

Keeping the Dream Alive Despite the data that clearly exposes the shortcomings of the American Dream, it is still a powerful myth that draws thousands of new immigrants to the United States each year. Even those who deny the Dream … Continue reading

Posted in American Dream | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Worker Co-ops and the American Dream, part 4

American Dream Deferred The American Dream, it must be noted, has always been an aspect of white privilege. The promise of those inalienable rights remained a promise for those brought in slavery and this aspect has played a role in … Continue reading

Posted in American Dream | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Worker Co-ops and the American Dream, part 3

In many ways, the labor movement of the fin de siècle period (1880-1914) resembles the labor movement of today. Skilled craft labor unions found limited success, but mainly in areas where its leader, Samuel Gompers, could make deals (much in the manner of the strategy of Service Employees International Union (SEIU) today). Social movements by the unorganized pressed for political change such as the eight-hour day (compared to today’s $15 per hour movement), and workers might still form cooperatives to meet their needs (such as the Union Fishermen’s Cannery in Astoria, OR). Continue reading

Posted in American Dream | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Worker Co-ops and the American Dream, part 2

Foundations of the American Dream The term, The American Dream, was coined by James Truslow Adams in 1931 in his work, The Epic of America (Adams, 1959; Gupte, 2011; Rank, Hirschl, & Foster, 2014). Adams’ coinage was, perhaps, an attempt … Continue reading

Posted in American Dream, Society | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Worker Co-ops and The American Dream, part 1

The American Dream The logic of collective action suggests that workers, acting in their self-interest, should work together to achieve greater wealth. This materialistic concept establishes the role of labor unions towards helping workers gain a “piece of the pie” … Continue reading

Posted in American Dream | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Labor Unions and Co-ops, part 5

There and Back Again: Unions and Worker Co-operatives In October 2009, the United Steelworkers and Mondragón Co-operative held a joint press conference to announce a partnership to create worker-owned unionized factories in the United States (Witherell, 2013). This marked the … Continue reading

Posted in American Dream, worker co-ops | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

The “We” Generation

Here we are. The next two years will seem to bring to life the ancient curse, “May you live in interesting times.” The need for mutual self-help and self-reliance along with solidarity will be at the forefront for many of … Continue reading

Posted in Movement | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

How Exceptional is “America”?

The discussion over the last two weeks centered on the challenges of growing a worker cooperative movement in Anglo-Saxon dominated cultures. I split a bit further by focusing on the specific problems in the United States that further hinder the … Continue reading

Posted in Movement | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment