Customer Reviews

A Place for Us: How to Make Society Civil and Democracy Strong

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A critical reader will notice that while Barber offers many warm, fuzzy sounding ideas, nearly all of them are rife with logical and practical inconsistencies which render them just that: warm fuzzy statements that are utterly lacking in substance. Beginning with a caricature of the libertarian model of civil society, Barber proceeds to set up a strawman position against which he will argue. The critical flaw in a civil society based on willing voluntary participation, in Barber's view, is that freedom cannot be tolerated because they will become "solitary greedy shoppers" (an attack against materialism, but a misplaced one) A civil society based on free markets and voluntary cooperation does not allow people to interact with one another. (a blatant mischaracterization at best, as people regularly form associations even in pure laissez-faire systems, a fact conveniently ignored) Yet these same people who are isolated materialistic consumers when left to their own devices will suddenly become actively engaged citizens if taxed more and are granted claims on private property.

Corporations are another target of Barber's, as they are the bane of democracy as we know it. Advertising creates demand in such a coercive manner that the market does not guide production, but the opposite. It seems odd to argue that people are so easily manipulated by mildly amusing talking chihuahuas, for example, are capable of having a meaningful discussion over technical matter of public policy. But further reading of Barber's piece will explain why the technicality of issues is really the problem. The aim of the policy development process is not so much to find solutions, but just to have discussions, therefor the issues should be broken down so that everyone can participate. While that may warm the heart, it won't get much done.
There are a number of other problematic claims that Barber makes. One of the most troubling is the call for "civic space," which is neither private nor government, yet the government will control it. To me, this sounds suspiciously like "government space," though claims it is not. The list goes on. To the prospective reader of this I can only offer a warning: you won't get the time spent reading this nonsense back, and probably not the money either.

Sometimes a book comes along that helps you view the world around you with new eyes, and this is just such a book. Barber discusses the third, generally neglected, pillar of modern society; after government and the market comes the "civil society" in which we create our identities and find our deepest fulfillment. The entire book is fascinating, and the last chapter is downright visionary, wherein Barber discusses how "the end of work" may turn out to be humanity's greatest tragedy--or greatest boon.

If you care about the future of society or the future of democracy--and the two are entirely coincident, you need to read this book.