Diversity of the nation and global capitalism

Author: Berger, J. (USA),, J. (USA), translated by Han Shengjun, Zhang Dumsen, Zhou Yunfan
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2002-01-01
Features: To comprehensively and correctly understand capitalism in order to learn from and absorb all the civilized achievements of capitalist society and build a socialism superior to capitalism, the "Contemporary Capitalism Research Series" was published. This series primarily translates works by foreign scholars on various aspects of contemporary capitalism, and will also introduce research by Chinese scholars on contemporary capitalism when appropriate. By knowing ourselves as well as others, we can accelerate our development and gain mastery in the world development landscape of the coming new century, placing us in a more favorable position. The starting point of this book's research is the role of the national economy in developed industrial countries. The researchers' starting point is: facing external threats and opportunities—competition, imitating the practices of other countries, globalization of economic flows, and political pressure—how have production and distribution systems changed. No author treats the convergence of these systems as a fact, nor does anyone consider convergence as something unquestionably good. On this basis, the book avoids presupposing many views in current academic and political writings. Instead, these papers first carefully discuss the basis of the convergence argument by analyzing changes at various levels and in economic policy, then consider the mechanisms promoting convergence and the factors hindering it, and finally raise questions. The convergence may either lead to a new round of competition, lower the standards of social welfare, or eliminate the uniqueness of national systems with distinctive values.