Why doesn't the United States have socialism?

Author: (German) 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 favorable attitude toward American capitalism among workers was later championed 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 about American Exceptionalism arise, one must turn to Sombart's Why America Is Not Socialist for intellectual resources. Why America Is Not Socialist is one of the representative works of the world-renowned German economist and sociologist W. Sombart in the early 20th century. After its first publication in German, it was translated into French, Spanish, English, Japanese, and other languages within decades. This book is also a seminal work in the field of "American Exceptionalism." 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 favorable attitude toward American capitalism among workers was later championed 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 socialist revolution drew strong societal response. Regardless, whenever discussions about American Exceptionalism arise, one must turn to this book for intellectual resources.