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 enlarge | Author: Robert B. Reich
Publisher: Knopf
Category: Book
List Price: $25.00
Buy New: $9.99
You Save: $15.01 (60%)
New (37) Used (34) Collectible (4) from $9.99
Rating:  58 reviews
Sales Rank: 28087
Media: Hardcover
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 288
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.3
Dimensions (in): 9.3 x 6.5 x 1.2
ISBN: 0307265617
Dewey Decimal Number: 320.97301
EAN: 9780307265616
ASIN: 0307265617
Publication Date: September 4, 2007
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Customer Reviews:
 Excellent Political/Economic Commentary December 12, 2007
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
The following 4 thoughts were my primary take-aways from this book. Dr. Reich is both an excellent writer/speaker and an individual I highly respect. While you may not agree with everything he says in this book, his arguments are one of a pragmatist, a rare breed in political circles.
1. Corporations are entities whose sole objective is to provide/generate goods/services desired by consumers while delivering profits to investors. Socially responsible behavior, while good for PR, is often only undertaken when it is either 1) economically profitable, or 2) economically neutral.
2. Governments should be representative agencies whose primary mission is to protect and serve the will of the people; corporations are NOT people. The money infused into government by corporations has effectively drowned out the issues of the citizenry, effectively undermining their ability to properly regulate issues that impact both groups.
3. The advent of Supercapitalism as defined by Reich is the result of a juxtaposition of the Western consumer. On one hand we are investors & consumers and on the other we are citizens. As consumers we demand the cheapest goods and the highest quality; As investors we demand steady returns on our money. But as citizens we demand fair pay, proper health care, and a secure future. Our demands as consumer/investors have worked in many cases to undermine our desires as citizens.
4. Decoupling health care from employment is both logical and prudent.
5 stars!
Insightful and Accessible December 11, 2007
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
A very well written book examining the economic development of the United States and the effects this process has had on our democratic system. Very accessible and easily understood, Reich does a great job of presenting complex economic ideas that an average educated person can grasp. Very important book examining the future of our democracy in the United States.
 Good historical account, but flawed premises December 7, 2007
1 out of 6 found this review helpful
Supercapitalism starts with an insightful summary of post-war economic history in the United States, from relatively egalitarian days of the "Not Quite Golden Age" to the more recent hypercompetitive era of Supercapitalism. Unfortunately, Professor Reich's analysis of the causes of the transition to Supercapitalism are unconvincing and his prescriptions for future reforms fall short.
Reich argues that technological advancements, such as telecommunications and container shipping, created Supercapitalism. While technology undoubtedly played a role, its influence is gradual does not explain the sudden change of economic direction that occurred in the late 1970s.
Reich greatly plays down the role of policy in creating Supercapitalism. He implicitly assumes that Supercapitalism is something that suddenly just happened because of technology, rather than being a conscious choice.
But the 1970s were a decade of economic distress that led to a change in economic thinking, beginning with the deregulations of the Carter administration and accelerating in the Reagan era. The U.S. economy has boomed since those days and rarely looked back. Yes, income inequality has worsened, and there are other problems. But despite all its warts, we stick Supercapitalism because it delivers the economic goods.
Reich deserves praise for his out-of-the-box thinking on topics such as corporate social responsibility and the corporate income tax. But his misdiagnosis of how we got here leads him to propose "solutions" without duly noting the tradeoffs these would entail. After all, if we got to Supercapitalism by making a wrong turn, then we just need to find our way back to our intended destination. But we got on this road for a reason.
Economics made easy December 2, 2007
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Robert Reich has taken a very complicated situation and has broken it down into manageable parts. By so doing, he has made it all much easier to understand. He points out that it is not useful to demonstrate and boycott companies to try to make them "better corporate citizens." A Corporation is not a person. It is a series of contracts making an entity designed to make money for the shareholders. If we want a company to open itself to unionization, for instance, we should make laws to that effect so that all companies would have the same rules. If we don't want pollution, make a law against it. We are wasting our time to demonstrate against a corporation. Work instead to make laws eliminating corporate money from politics and lobbyists. If we got together to do these things instead of scattering our efforts against individual corporations, we might have an effect.
By the way, this is in no way a left wing book. I would call it quite conservative.
essential reading for every business person November 21, 2007
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
Supercapitalism transformed my thinking about the economy, about politics, and about democracy to a degree....I will never again compartmentalize or assume there is ONE definition of any of them. The overlap among them. The interdependence of business thru-out the world is unquestionable and
although I've always felt capitalism would lead to democracy there is no assurance it will. It could lead to extreme haves and have nots. It could lead to dictators gloating on their wealth. It could lead to widening gaps in income and backlash from those in poverty. The 'almost golden age' most of us experienced when young laid an expectation before us of Corporate benevolence but in fact has lead to outlandish Corporate greed and it will get worse before it gets better. Education of all....might stem this fall from grace but it will require a renewed active political minded citizen. This book left me with much to absorb. This is a watershed on GLOBAL Capitalism and Democracy.
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