Rebuilding America

We recently published an article entitled: "The Good Society: Core Social Values, Social Norms, and Public Policy" (Sociological Forum, vol. 29, March 2014). Our basic argument was that the politicians and political pundits have been focused on the "one percent" of Americans and we could expect little from Washington in the way of solutions to key problems of unemployment and inequality. We suggested that real solutions could only come from the American people if, and when, they recognized and embraced a set of core social values, and a set of guidelines for their behavior. This post is designed to briefly summarize our key points in the published article.


Core Social Values:


Greed is Good: Use It or Lose It: Instead of attacking the one percent of wealthy Americans, we should recognize the many ways in which they contribute to the economy and are responsible for employment, income, and employee benefits. Thus, Gordon Gecko (from the movie Wall Street), the epitome of greed, should be honored and encouraged to pursue a life composed of seeking new entrepreneurial ventures and a path of personal consumption involving multiple homes, autos, and Learjet airplanes. All of these activities are beneficial to the broader economy and contribute to employment opportunities.


So instead of turning Gordon Gecko into a despicable person, and risk killing the goose that may lay the golden egg, we recommend that we let Gordon Gecko be Gordon Gecko and give him the social honor of recognizing that his lavish personal consumption style, or entrepreneurial projects or philanthropic gifts do serve the common good. But, and it is a big but, we proposed that a major proportion of the wealth that Gecko does not consume or give away in his lifetime must be returned to the public treasury upon his death. In short, use it or lose it. No more family dynasties.      


The other core social values included: Achievement in All Things (emphasis on an achievement orientation in everyday life, whether in school, work, sports, or hobbies); All Work Has Value (all work that serves some common good, from physician to garbage man, should be respected and compensated with a living wage, security, and retirement benefits; A Culture of Responsibility (families help to provide for members' well-being).


We argue that the four core social values must be transmitted and reinforced, and we identify a pattern of social norms that identify those behaviors that will reinforce the core social values. The social norms that we identify include the following.


Buy American to Create Jobs. When Americans call upon their government to create jobs, they must be prepared as consumers to take the lead and to exhibit behavior that is consistent with job creation.


Expanding Worker Voice Beyond Income and Pensions. Here we argue for the expansion of co-ops and worker ownership that will help to create and save jobs, and expand opportunities to create realistic solutions  to social and community problems.


Beyond Consumerism. We discuss alternatives to economic metrics, like the gross domestic product, to determine how people feel about their daily lives. Feelings about well-being and happiness are often tied to non-economic activities, and we discuss how these alternative paths to happiness may be pursued.


After discussing these core social values, and the social norms that contribute to their realization, we look at what the politicians in Washington can do. We propose three new public policies that are consistent with the core social values and social norms. They are:


Raising New Revenue: Targeted Philanthropy, Choice tax, and Jobs Tax


Affordable Tuition: Making Core Achievement Values a Reality


Family as the Primary Unit of Society Must Be Supported


If you want to know more, please read the article.