Downsizing the U.S.A.

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Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 1997 - Social Science - 289 pages
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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 - LibraryThing

There 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 Verdict

Duke 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

Selected pages

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
Index of Names
285
Copyright

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Page 2 - We are in great haste to construct a magnetic telegraph from Maine to Texas; but Maine and Texas, it may be, have nothing important to communicate.

About the author (1997)

Will Willimon is Professor of the Practice of Christian Ministry and Director of the Doctor of Ministry at Duke Divinity School, Durham, North Carolina. He is an internationally renowned preacher and widely read author noted for his humor, his insight into the Christian faith, and his theological commitment. His many books have sold over a million copies.

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