Downsizing the U.S.A.In this trenchant analysis of American society, Thomas H. Naylor and William H. Willimon take an unabashed stance against the belief that "bigger is better" and warn that size and technological complexity are not risk free. There is a grave price to be paid for our uncritical affirmation of bigness, universal solutions to problems, dehumanizing uniformity, and standardized mass production. Naylor and Willimon argue that our government, our cities, our corporations, our schools, our churches, our military, and our social welfare system are all too big, too powerful, too intrusive, too insular, and too unresponsive to the needs of individual citizens and small local communities. They propose specific strategies for decentralizing and downsizing virtually every major institution in America, including America itself. The authors audaciously call for the peaceful dissolution of the United States through secession and provide a thoughtful game plan for achieving this controversial objective. |
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LibraryThing Review
User Review - ebnelson - LibraryThingThere is much to love in Downsizing the USA, but there are many flaws. The breathe of the book is refreshing. Instead of simply taking a high-level view or narrowing to look at economics, politics ... Read full review
Downsizing the U. S. A
User Review - Not Available - Book VerdictDuke University professors Naylor (emeritus, economics) and Willimon (Christian ministry) here prescribe smallness in everything, from business to the military to healthcare to education, then finally ... Read full review
Contents
The State of the Union | 9 |
The Meltdown of Corporate America | 28 |
Urban America ModernDay Tower of Babel | 48 |
Rural America Our Last Hope | 76 |
Digitizing Americas Schoolkids | 94 |
The Crisis in Higher Education Metaphor for America | 122 |
Give Me That OldTime Religion | 137 |
Our Moribund Welfare State | 155 |
Mighty Morphin Superpowers | 182 |
Our States Toothless Paper Tigers | 203 |
Dissolution Not Devolution | 237 |
Empowering the Powerless | 259 |
285 | |
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Affluenza: The All Consuming Epidemic John De Graaf,David Wann,Thomas H. Naylor No preview available - 2002 |