Confronting Capitalism: Real Solutions for a Troubled Economic System

Description

With the fall of the Berlin Wall, one economic model emerged triumphant. Capitalism-spanning a spectrum from laissez faire to authoritarian-shapes the market economies of all the wealthiest and fastest-growing nations. But trouble is cracking its shiny veneer. In the U.S., Europe, and Japan, economic growth has slowed down. Wealth is concentrated in the hands of a few; natural resources are exploited for short-term profit; and good jobs are hard to find. With piercing clarity, Philip Kotler explains 14 major problems undermining capitalism, including persistent poverty, job creation in the face of automation, high debt burdens, the disproportionate influence of the wealthy on public policy, steep environmental costs, boom-bust economic cycles, and more. Amidst its dire assessment of what's ailing us, Confronting Capitalism delivers a heartening message: We can turn things around. Movements toward shared prosperity and a higher purpose are reinvigorating companies large and small, while proposals abound on government policies that offer protections without stagnation. Kotler identifies the best ideas, linking private and public initiatives into a force for positive change. Combining economic history, expert insight, business lessons, and recent data, this landmark book elucidates today's critical dilemmas and suggests solutions for returning to a healthier, more sustainable Capitalism-that works for all.

Philip Kotler is one of the world's foremost experts on the strategic practice of marketing, voted the first Leader in Marketing Thought by the American Marketing Association. The S.C. Johnson & Son Distinguished Professor of International Marketing at the Kellogg School of Management of Northwestern University, he is the author of many influential books, including Marketing Management and Kotler on Marketing. He lives in Evanston, Illinois.

..". timely book that provides a great overview of the issues facing capitalism. For anyone looking to get up to speed with these issues..." --Stock Ideas ..".excellent book because it sends this very clear message to workers, bankers, industrialists, CEOs, politicians and presidents." --BlogCritics ..".the author's prescriptions for change which are likely to be wildly controversial." --Leading Business Books ..".this well-written, heartfelt argument deserves to be read because it will make you think..." --Strategy+Business ..".timely and excellent study of business forces. Rather than a rejection of capitalism, this book focuses on how to return capitalism to a more sustainable model." --San Francisco Book Review ..".written for anyone interested in a common sense understanding of today's economic malaise; how we got here, where we're going, and how we can turn this around..." --Another Opinion ..".[Kotler's] writing on behalf of all business; large corporations as well as one-person firms, mom-and-pop shops, small businesses and everyone in between." --Small Business Trends "[Kotler] does for the pitfalls of capitalism what Thomas L. Friedman did in explaining globalization in The World Is Flat. This deserves a wide readership." --Library Journal "Brings a fresh perspective on what capitalism is and how different variations of it are in existence in the world today...tackles multiple issues with conciseness" --Book Barrage "Confronting Capitalism does something I have not seen before. It takes economics and puts it on a practical human scale." --Evil Cyclist "Critics of capitalism are not in short supply.. But when the critic is Philip Kotler, capitalism needs to sit up and take notice." --Financial Times "Every so often a respected economist writes a book that's not just highly readable but that contains analyses and viable solutions to vexing economic and societal problems." --Changing Winds "If you want to understand what's really wrong with our present system of Capitalism running amok, you'll have to read Kotler's book." --Huntington News "Those who have even the remotest connection to the levers of power should be locked in a room and forced to digest Kotler's analysis and act upon it." --Darren Ingram Media