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The Next American Frontier
Brings together economic, social, and political analyses to formulate a program for an American revival, in terms of the nation's economy and of a more equitable life for the American people
- GenresEconomics
324 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1983
About the author
Robert B. Reich
59 books1,314 followersRobert Bernard Reich is an American politician, academic, and political commentator. He served as Secretary of Labor under President Bill Clinton from 1993 to 1997. Reich is a former Harvard University professor and the former Maurice B. Hexter Professor of Social and Economic Policy at the Heller School for Social Policy and Management at Brandeis University. He is currently a professor at the University of California, Berkeley's Goldman School of Public Policy. Mr. Reich is also on the board of directors of Tutor.com. He is a trustee of the Economists for Peace and Security. He is an occasional political commentator, notably on Hardball with Chris Matthews, This Week with George Stephanopoulos and CNBC's Kudlow & Company.
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
July 26, 2024
A FAMOUS PROPOSAL TO SHIFT AMERICA'S WORKERS TO "HIGHER-VALUE" PRODUCTIVITY
Robert Bernard Reich (born 1946) was Secretary of Labor during Clinton's first term; he has written books such as 'Aftershock: The Next Economy and America's Future,' 'The Work of Nations,' 'New Deals: the Chrysler Revival and the American System,' etc.
He wrote in the first chapter of this 1983 book, "The central theme of this book is that ... social justice is not incompatible with economic growth, but essential to it. A social organization premised on equity, security, and participation will generate greater productivity than one premised on greed and fear... America has a choice: It can adapt itself to the new economic realities by altering its organizations, or it can fail to adapt and thereby continue its present decline... Adaptation is America's challenge. It is America's next frontier." (Pg. 20-21)
He suggests, "The false choice between civic values and business values is blinding Americans... This real choice is between shielding America from a changing world economy and adapting to engage the new realities of international competition." (Pg. 6) He is critical of "paper entrepreneur" business managers who "innovate" by tax avoidance, financial management, mergers, acquisitions, and litigation, which "does not create new wealth. It merely rearranges industrial assets. And it has hastened our decline." (Pg. 140-141)
He suggests that "the current system of education prepares young people for preexisting jobs in high-volume, standardized prodjuction... Few students are taught how to work collaboratively to solve novel real-world problems---the essence of flexible-system management." (Pg. 215) He proposes, "Industries of the future will not depend on physical 'hardware'... but on the human 'software,' which can retain a technological edge." (Pg. 236) He concludes, "Either the United States adjusts to the new realities of international competition and shifts its human capital resources to higher-value productivity, or it consigns itself to a gradually declining standard of living." (Pg. 267)
Reich's book was an exciting and provocative one to read in 1983, but in these days of "outsourcing," factory closings, and high unemployment, his predictions have an almost Cassandra-like quality.
Robert Bernard Reich (born 1946) was Secretary of Labor during Clinton's first term; he has written books such as 'Aftershock: The Next Economy and America's Future,' 'The Work of Nations,' 'New Deals: the Chrysler Revival and the American System,' etc.
He wrote in the first chapter of this 1983 book, "The central theme of this book is that ... social justice is not incompatible with economic growth, but essential to it. A social organization premised on equity, security, and participation will generate greater productivity than one premised on greed and fear... America has a choice: It can adapt itself to the new economic realities by altering its organizations, or it can fail to adapt and thereby continue its present decline... Adaptation is America's challenge. It is America's next frontier." (Pg. 20-21)
He suggests, "The false choice between civic values and business values is blinding Americans... This real choice is between shielding America from a changing world economy and adapting to engage the new realities of international competition." (Pg. 6) He is critical of "paper entrepreneur" business managers who "innovate" by tax avoidance, financial management, mergers, acquisitions, and litigation, which "does not create new wealth. It merely rearranges industrial assets. And it has hastened our decline." (Pg. 140-141)
He suggests that "the current system of education prepares young people for preexisting jobs in high-volume, standardized prodjuction... Few students are taught how to work collaboratively to solve novel real-world problems---the essence of flexible-system management." (Pg. 215) He proposes, "Industries of the future will not depend on physical 'hardware'... but on the human 'software,' which can retain a technological edge." (Pg. 236) He concludes, "Either the United States adjusts to the new realities of international competition and shifts its human capital resources to higher-value productivity, or it consigns itself to a gradually declining standard of living." (Pg. 267)
Reich's book was an exciting and provocative one to read in 1983, but in these days of "outsourcing," factory closings, and high unemployment, his predictions have an almost Cassandra-like quality.
Displaying 1 of 1 review