Wealth, Power, and the Crisis of Laissez Faire Capitalism - by D Gibson (Hardcover)

About the Book

"This forcefully argued book offers a provocative picture of the political, intellectual, and economic forces that have shaped the history of the United States from its founding to the present day. Offering an extensive and in-depth critique of laissez-faire doctrine and a novel reformulation of the work of American System writers such as Daniel Raymond, Henry Carey, and Thorstein Veblen, author Donald Gibson traces America's rise to global supremacy. He examines how free-market ideology and the "establishment" networks exemplified by Wall Street and the Council for Foreign Relations combined to lead us to the political and economic crises that America faces at the dawn of the twenty-first century"--Provided by publisher.

Book Synopsis

This forcefully argued book offers a provocative picture of the political, intellectual, and economic forces that have shaped the history of the United States, offering an extensive and in-depth critique of laissez-faire doctrine and a novel reformulation of the work of American System writers, Gibson traces America's rise to global supremacy.

Review Quotes

"This is a masterful book. Gibson deftly outlines the current debate over whether government should play a role in promoting economic growth and advancing the general welfare, and traces it to fundamental ideological divides among America s founding statesmen. His critique of the laissez-faire model that now dominates U.S. political thought is both passionate and persuasive." - Kitty Calavita, Chancellor s Professor Emerita, University of California Irvine, and author of Big Money Crime: Fraud and Politics in the Savings and Loan Crisis

About the Author

DONALD GIBSON is Professor in the Department of Behavioral Sciences at the University of Pittsburgh, Greensburg, USA.