Audiobooks by Marjorie Kelly

Wealth Supremacy: How the Extractive Economy and the Biased Rules of Capitalism Drive Today's Crises

This powerful analysis explains how the bias toward wealth that is woven into the very fabric of American capitalism is damaging people, the economy, and the planet and explores what the foundations of a new economy could be. This bold manifesto exposes seven myths underlying wealth supremacy-the bias that institutionalizes infinite extraction of wealth by and for the wealthy and is the hidden force behind economic injustice, the climate crisis, and so many other problems of our day: The Myth of Maximizing-No amount of wealth is ever enough. The Myth of Fiduciary Duty-Corporate managers' most sacred duty is to expand capital. The Myth of Corporate Governance-Corporate membership must be reserved for capital alone. The Myth of the Income Statement-Income to capital must always be increased, while income to labor must always be decreased. The Myth of Materiality-Profit-that is, material gain-alone is real, while social and environmental damages are not. The Myth of Takings-The first duty of government must be the protection of private property. The Myth of the Free Market-There should be no limits on the sphere of influence of corporations and capital. Kelly argues instead for the democratization of ownership: public ownership of vital services, worker-owned businesses, and more. And she sketches the outlines of a nonextractive capitalism that would be subordinate to the public interest. This is an ambitious reimagining of the very foundations of our economy and society.

Marjorie Kelly (Author), Tiffany Williams (Narrator)

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The Making of a Democratic Economy: Building Prosperity For the Many, Not Just the Few

Our economy is designed by the 1 percent, for the 1 percent. This book offers a compelling vision of an equitable, ecologically sustainable alternative that meets the essential needs of all people. We live in a world where twenty-six billionaires own as much wealth as half the planet's population. The extractive economy we live with now enables the financial elite to squeeze out maximum gain for themselves, heedless of damage to people or planet. But Marjorie Kelly and Ted Howard show that there is a new economy emerging focused on helping everyone thrive while respecting planetary boundaries. At a time when competing political visions are at stake the world over, this book urges a move beyond tinkering at the margins to address the systemic crisis of our economy. Kelly and Howard outline seven principles of what they call a Democratic Economy: community, inclusion, place (keeping wealth local), good work (putting labor before capital), democratized ownership, ethical finance, and sustainability. Each principle is paired with a place putting it into practice: Pine Ridge, Preston, Portland, Cleveland, and more. This book tells stories not just of activists and grassroots leaders but of the unexpected accomplices of the Democratic Economy. Seeds of a future beyond corporate capitalism and state socialism are being planted in hospital procurement departments, pension fund offices, and even company boardrooms. The road to a system grounded in community, democracy, and justice remains uncertain. Kelly and Howard help us understand we make this road as we walk it by taking a first step together beyond isolation and despair.

Marjorie Kelly, Ted Howard (Author), Tiffany Williams (Narrator)

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