ebook img

Capitalism, Democracy, and Ralph's Pretty Good Grocery. PDF

348 Pages·1999·1.064 MB·English
Save to my drive
Quick download
Download

Download Capitalism, Democracy, and Ralph's Pretty Good Grocery. PDF Free - Full Version

by John E. Mueller| 1999| 348 pages| 1.064| English

About Capitalism, Democracy, and Ralph's Pretty Good Grocery.

Democracy is overrated. Capitalism, on the other hand, doesn't get enough credit. In this provocative and engaging book, John Mueller argues that these mismatches between image and reality create significant political and economic problems--inspiring instability, inefficiency, and widespread cynicism. We would be far better off, he writes, if we recognized that neither system is ideal or disastrous and accepted instead the humdrum truth that both are "pretty good." And, to Mueller, that means good enough. He declares that what is true of Garrison Keillor's fictional store "Ralph's Pretty Good Grocery" is also true of democracy and capitalism: if you can't get what you want there, "you can probably get along without it." Mueller begins by noting that capitalism is commonly thought to celebrate greed and to require discourtesy, deceit, and callousness. However, with examples that range from car dealerships and corporate boardrooms to the shop of an eighteenth-century silk merchant, Mueller shows that capitalism in fact tends to reward behavior that is honest, fair, civil, and compassionate. He argues that this gap between image and reality hampers economic development by encouraging people to behave dishonestly, unfairly, and discourteously to try to get ahead and to neglect the virtuous behavior that is an important source of efficiency and gain. The problem with democracy's image, by contrast, is that our expectations are too high. We are too often led by theorists, reformers, and romantics to believe that democracy should consist of egalitarianism and avid civic participation. In fact, democracy will always be chaotic, unequal, and marked by apathy. It offers reasonable freedom and security, but not political paradise. To idealize democracy, Mueller writes, is to undermine it, since the inevitable contrast with reality creates public cynicism and can hamper democracy's growth and development. Mueller presents these arguments with sophistication, wit, and erudition. He combines mastery of current political and economic literature with references to figures ranging from Plato to P. T. Barnum, from Immanuel Kant to Ronald Reagan, from Shakespeare to Frank Capra. Broad in scope and rich in detail, the book will provoke debate among economists, political scientists, and anyone interested in the problems (or non-problems) of modern democracy and capitalism.

Detailed Information

Author:John E. Mueller
Publication Year:1999
ISBN:9780691001142
Pages:348
Language:English
File Size:1.064
Format:PDF
Price:FREE
Download Free PDF

Safe & Secure Download - No registration required

Why Choose PDFdrive for Your Free Capitalism, Democracy, and Ralph's Pretty Good Grocery. Download?

  • 100% Free: No hidden fees or subscriptions required for one book every day.
  • No Registration: Immediate access is available without creating accounts for one book every day.
  • Safe and Secure: Clean downloads without malware or viruses
  • Multiple Formats: PDF, MOBI, Mpub,... optimized for all devices
  • Educational Resource: Supporting knowledge sharing and learning

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it really free to download Capitalism, Democracy, and Ralph's Pretty Good Grocery. PDF?

Yes, on https://PDFdrive.to you can download Capitalism, Democracy, and Ralph's Pretty Good Grocery. by John E. Mueller completely free. We don't require any payment, subscription, or registration to access this PDF file. For 3 books every day.

How can I read Capitalism, Democracy, and Ralph's Pretty Good Grocery. on my mobile device?

After downloading Capitalism, Democracy, and Ralph's Pretty Good Grocery. PDF, you can open it with any PDF reader app on your phone or tablet. We recommend using Adobe Acrobat Reader, Apple Books, or Google Play Books for the best reading experience.

Is this the full version of Capitalism, Democracy, and Ralph's Pretty Good Grocery.?

Yes, this is the complete PDF version of Capitalism, Democracy, and Ralph's Pretty Good Grocery. by John E. Mueller. You will be able to read the entire content as in the printed version without missing any pages.

Is it legal to download Capitalism, Democracy, and Ralph's Pretty Good Grocery. PDF for free?

https://PDFdrive.to provides links to free educational resources available online. We do not store any files on our servers. Please be aware of copyright laws in your country before downloading.

The materials shared are intended for research, educational, and personal use in accordance with fair use principles.