Why Doesn't the United States Have Socialism (Translated Series of Social Theory)

Author: W. Sombart
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-05-01
Features: This book is a seminal work in the field of "American Exceptionalism" and has had a profound influence. On one hand, the book's argument that the American political system (primarily universal suffrage and constitutional democracy) and corporate system (primarily piece-rate wages and profit sharing) fostered a positive attitude toward American capitalism among workers was later adopted and expanded by successors. On the other hand, the book's claim that the higher living standards of American workers compared to those on the European continent made them content with the status quo and less inclined toward socialism drew much criticism. Critics argued that there is no inherent link between living standards and revolutionary tendencies, with social justice being a more critical factor in determining revolutionary inclinations. It can be said that whenever discussions arise about American Exceptionalism, Sombart's Why America Is Not Socialist must be consulted for its intellectual resources. Why America Is Not Socialist is one of the representative works of the renowned early 20th-century German economist and sociologist W. Sombart. First published in German, it was followed by translations into French, Spanish, English, and Japanese within decades. This book is a seminal work in the field of "American Exceptionalism." On one hand, it presents the view that the American political system (primarily universal suffrage and constitutional democracy) and corporate system (primarily piece-rate wages and profit sharing) fostered a positive attitude toward American capitalism among workers, a perspective later adopted and expanded by successors. On the other hand, the book's argument that the higher living standards of American workers compared to those on the European continent made them content with the status quo and less inclined toward socialist revolution drew strong societal response. Regardless, whenever discussions arise about American Exceptionalism, this book must be consulted for its intellectual resources.