The Making of a Democratic Economy

We live in a world where 26 billionaires own as much wealth as half the planet’s population. The extractive economy we live with now enables the financial elite to squeeze out maximum gain for themselves, heedless of damage to people or planet. But Marjorie Kelly (and coauthor 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, The Making of a Democratic Economy: Building Prosperity for the Many, Not Just the Few (Berrett-Koehler) urges a move beyond tinkering at the margins to address the systemic crisis of our economy. It outlines seven principles of 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. The road to a system grounded in community, democracy, and justice remains uncertain. The Making of a Democratic Economy helps us understand we make this road as we walk it by taking a first step together beyond isolation and despair.