Socioeconomic Democracy Book Announcement

Dear Friends:

The purpose of this communication is to announce the existence of, and 
provide an introduction to, Socioeconomic Democracy.  The following items are 
briefly discussed below:

1. Definition of Socioeconomic Democracy.
2. Description of the forthcoming book Socioeconomic Democracy: An Advanced 
Socioeconomic System.
3. Book reviewers sought.
4. Teachers to consider using book as text sought.
5. Peaceful, determined, disgusted, and democratic citizen-revolutionaries 
sought.
6. Praeger/Greenwood (publisher of book).
7. Center for the Study of Democratic Societies introduced.

1.  Definition of Socioeconomic Democracy.  As originally conceived over 
thirty years ago, Socioeconomic Democracy (SeD) is a theoretical model 
socioeconomic system wherein there exist both some form of Universal 
Guaranteed Personal Income (UGI) and some form of Maximum Allowable Personal 
Wealth (MAW), with both the lower bound on personal material poverty and the 
upper bound on personal material wealth set and adjusted democratically by 
all participants of society.  More extensive definitions, descriptions, and 
discussions exist in numerous places, including the Encyclopedia of 
International Political Economy published by Routledge in 2001 (right in 
there with capitalism, socialism, libertarianism, communism, anarchism, and 
(other) mixed (up) economies).

2.  Description of forthcoming book Socioeconomic Democracy: An Advanced 
Socioeconomic System.  The book, scheduled to be published by 
Praeger/Greenwood in Spring 2002, discusses many aspect of SeD.  The book 
should be of interest to (at least) all those who are seriously concerned 
about the multidimensional harm (to individuals, societies, cultures, and the 
planet at large) caused by the extreme systemic maldistribution of material 
wealth intra- and internationally, and who are convinced that this problem 
should and can only be resolved democratically and peacefully by an informed 
and thoughtful citizenry.

The Table of Contents is as follows:

PREFACE
INTRODUCTION
1  SOCIOECONOMIC DEMOCRACY:  THE THEORETICAL MODEL
2  UNIVERSAL GUARANTEED PERSONAL INCOME
    Definition of UGI
    Forms of UGI
    History of UGI
    Unresolved Dilemmas of UGI
3  MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE PERSONAL WEALTH
    Definition of MAW
    Abbreviated History
    Distribution and Taxation of Wealth
    Possibilities
    Class Warfare
4  DEMOCRACY
    Majority Rule
    Qualitative Democracy
    Quantitative Democracy
5  SOCIETAL VARIATIONS
    Limits on Both MAW and UGI
    Limit on MAW, No Limit on UGI
    Limit on UGI, No Limit on MAW
    No Limit on Either MAW or UGI
6  JUSTIFICATIONS
    Anthropological
    Philosophical
    Psychological   
    Religious
    Human Rights
7  SOCIOECONOMIC DEMOCRACY AND ISLAM
    Prophet Muhammad
    Islami Economics
8  INCENTIVE AND SELF-INTEREST
    Incentive from MAW
    Incentive from UGI
    Work Ethic
9  PRACTICAL APPROXIMATIONS
    Approximations to UGI
    Approximations to MAW
    Approximations to Democracy
10 FINANCIAL BENEFITS AND COSTS
    No Bound on Either MAW or UGI
    Bound on MAW, No Bound on UGI
    Bound on UGI, No Bound on MAW
    Bounds on Both MAW and UGI
11 PHYSICAL REALIZABILITY, FEASIBILITY, AND IMPLEMENTATION
    Voting Procedure
    Administrative Technicalities
    Legal Technicalities
    Economic Analysis
    Political Considerations
    Is It Possible?
12 RAMIFICATIONS
    Automation, Computerization, and Robotization
    Budget Deficits and National Debts
    Bureaucracy
    Children
    Crime and Punishment
    Development
    Ecology, Environment, and Pollution
    Economic Theory, Sorry State Thereof
    Education
    Elderly
    Feminine Majority
    Inflation
    International Conflict
    Intranational Conflict
    Involuntary Employment
    Involuntary Unemployment
    Labor Strife and Strikes
    Medical and Health Care
    Military Metamorphosis
    Natural Disasters
    Planned Obsolescence    
    Political Participation
    Poverty
    Racism  
    Sexism
    Untamed Technology
    Welfare
    Conclusion
APPENDIX:   EXERCISES FOR THE INTERESTED
BIBLIOGRAPHY
INDEX

The website of the Center for the Study of Democratic Societies (CSDS) at 
<http://www.centersds.com> further describes the book and presents a (not 
too) "Brief Introduction to Socioeconomic Democracy".  The site also proudly 
presents courageous comments about the book by Ikram Azam (PFI), Sohail 
Inayatullah (WFSF), Philippe Van Parijs (BIEN), Sam Pizzigati (Maximum Wage 
and Too Much), the late Robert Theobald (Futurist and so much more), and 
Arnoldo Ventura (Special Advisor on Science and Technology to PM of Jamaica), 
for which this writer will ever be, and humanity will eventually be, most 
grateful.

3.  Book reviewers sought.  It is this writer's belief that this planet 
desperately needs a new, improved, and fundamentally democratized economic 
system and he so suggests in the book.  Therefore, we seek thoughtful book 
reviewers from around the world to consider the ideas of SeD and how they 
might be appropriately applied in their particular "corner" of the world, 
with its particular mix of needless, painful, and costly 
politicosocioeconomic problems.  If interested, please respond first to this 
writer and request a review or examination copy from Praeger.  We would also 
appreciate copies of any reviews of the book and where these reviews appear.

4.  Teachers to consider using book as text sought.  For precisely the same 
reason outlined above, we seek thoughtful teachers ranging from undergraduate 
through postgraduate work, to consider using the book as a primary or 
supplementary text and as a starting point for much needed further research 
on the subject.  Please contact us expressing your interest as well as 
Praeger requesting a descriptive brochure and an examination copy. The book 
is appropriate for courses in economics, political science, sociology, 
political philosophy, utopian studies, futures studies, psychology, and, most 
importantly, democratic socioeconomic engineering.

5.  Peaceful, determined, disgusted, and democratic citizen-revolutionaries 
sought.  Again, for the same reasons mentioned above, we respectfully submit 
that all thoughtful and concerned people, regardless of present profession, 
political persuasion, religion, race, sex, or circumstances will find the 
ideas of Socioeconomic Democracy stimulating, encouraging, and productive.  
The book is available from Praeger, e-Amazon, and e-Barnes & Noble, and 
certainly should be available in your friendly local bookstore and library.

6.  Praeger/Greenwood (publisher of book).  The Praeger/Greenwood address is:

Praeger Publishers
Greenwood Publishing Group
88 Post Road West
PO Box 5007
Westport, CT 06881-5007
<http://www.greenwood.com>

7.  Center for the Study of Democratic Societies introduced. The Center for 
the Study of Democratic Societies (CSDS) is a research and educational 
institution (founded in 1969) dedicated to the examination and explanation of 
the properties and possibilities of democratic societies and democratic 
socioeconomic systems.  You are cordially invited to visit our website at 
<http://www.centersds.com>, where you will find much more about the theory of 
Socioeconomic Democracy, a description of our book on the subject published 
by Praeger/Greenwood, an invitation to our Study Programs in Socioeconomic 
Democracy, and a much needed break from all this serious stuff on our Lighter 
Side pages.  We are also available for a variety of presentations about 
Socioeconomic Democracy, from brief lectures to extended workshops.  If you 
find any of the material there (or here, for that matter) of interest, we 
would be happy to hear from you and explore future possibilities with you.  
We also intend to make a major update to our links page and invite anyone so 
interested to exchange links with us.  If you have friends or e-lists that 
you think might be interested in this message, please feel free to forward it 
to them.  Thank you.

Most sincerely,

Robley E. George, Director
Center for the Study of Democratic Societies
http://www.centersds.com