Transcending Capitalism Through Cooperative Practices

Given the state of affairs in the global economy and the high levels of unemployment caused by firms' closing or moving to other countries to seek higher profits, capitalist enterprises are failing to provide jobs and economic security for workers. It is therefore imperative that alternative work structures be assessed to discern their viability in our turbulent economy.

Transcending Capitalism Through Cooperative Practices identifies and analyzes sustainable alternatives to capitalism by examining five diverse enterprises, including the London Symphony Orchestra, the Green Bay Packers football team, and the Lusty Lady sex club. Each case illustrates an attempt to provide a more democratic structure to the specific institution through community involvement, worker initiatives, or union-facilitated transformation. Using the framework of New Marxian Class Analysis, each case is analyzed to determine its possible democratic nature, which may serve as an alternative model to the capitalist class structure that dominates today's global economy.

Catherine P. Mulder is Associate Professor of Economics at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, City University of New York, USA, and also teaches in the Masters of Labor Studies program at CUNY's Murphy Institute. A former cable splicer for the telephone company, Mulder has been a worker advocate and labor activist for over 30 years. Because of her roots, she now dedicates her research, teaching, and service to improving workers' rights and their conditions of employment.