Part 2 - Chapter 5
The economy of the free
The authors take an idealist philosophical position - that we imagine realities, then seek to create them. They invite us to join in the process of imagining and growing a new reality based on 'solid data' from many companies that have constructed the building blocks.
[Editor's Note: some of the examples listed are not companies, and might object to being called one. The Mondragon network comprises hundreds of co-operatives, bound together in a sophisticated eco-system that includes welfare, education, insurance and research secondary co-operatives that support over 100 primary worker co-operatives and two multi-stakeholder co-operatives (in banking and retail). John Lewis is formally a company but regards itself as a partnership. The staff are referred to as 'partners' in the constitution and the governing bodies include 'Partner Voice' (in each store) and a 'Partnership Council' (elected from all stores).]
The authors set out the desire to build 'an economy of the free' (free from the fear of being bought and sold as property). The authors ask how much more Paul Polman (Unilever) might have done if a prototype eco-system economy of the free existed. [I would argue there are prototypes in Mondragon (Spain) and Emilia-Romagna (Italy)].
Overcoming obstacles
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