The Stakeholder SocietyA quarter century of trickle-down economics has failed. Economic inequality in the United States has dramatically increased. Many, alas, seem resigned to this growing chasm between rich and poor. But what would happen, ask Bruce Ackerman and Anne Alstott, if America were to make good on its promise of equal opportunity by granting every qualifying young adult a citizen's stake of eighty thousand dollars? Ackerman and Alstott argue that every American citizen has the right to share in the wealth accumulated by preceding generations. The distribution of wealth is currently so skewed that the stakeholding fund could be financed by an annual tax of two percent on the property owned by the richest forty percent of Americans. Ackerman and Alstott analyze their initiative from moral, political, economic, legal, and human perspectives. By summoning the political will to initiate stakeholding, they argue, we can achieve a society that is more democratic, productive, and free. Their simple but realistic plan would enhance each young adult's real ability to shape his or her own future. It is, in short, an idea that should be taken seriously by anyone concerned with citizenship, welfare dependency, or social justice in America today. |
Contents
| 1 | |
| 21 | |
The Stake in Context | 45 |
Profiles in Freedom | 65 |
Payback Time | 77 |
Taxing Wealth | 94 |
The Limits of Growthand Other Objections | 113 |
From Worker to Citizen | 129 |
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Common terms and phrases
adults advantage allow Americans annual assets average basic begin benefits better billion Chap child choices citizens citizenship claim consider continue cost decisions distribution earnings economic effects eighty thousand dollars equal estimate exemption existing freedom fund future gain give graduates high school higher important income tax increase individual initiative interest leave less liberal lives means moral obligation once opportunity parents payroll tax pension percent person political poor present privilege tax problem proposal question raise reason receive require responsible retirement rich sense share Social Security Social Security Administration society spend stake stakeholding taxation taxpayers tion wages wealth tax welfare women workers young