Book Review: Other Areas: Federalism: A Normative Theory and Its Practical Relevance
| DOI | 10.1111/1478-9302.12016_26 |
| Published date | 01 May 2013 |
| Author | Erik De Bom |
| Date | 01 May 2013 |
| Subject Matter | Book Review |
P O L I T I C A L T H E O R Y
Historical case exemplars of capitalism’s origins and
involve the people directly in government decisions. As
evolution include Europe (ch. 5), Latin America (ch. 6),
such, Scott’s plea for smaller forms of governing units is
Italy (ch. 8) and North America (ch. 9). There are two
also closely linked to his striving for a more workable
chapters (chs 13, 14) dedicated to the historical trans-
model of direct democracy. By adopting a federal form
formations of capitalism in the US between 1830 and
of government, the various constituent units are far
1937 and 1965 and 2009. While this book is about
better adapted to select the most appropriate means in
capitalism as a system of governance that ‘requires a
view of the proper ends. Such an understanding could
political vision to guide market frameworks that will
give rise to the impression of relativism, which is vig-
work toward [the] achievement of societal goals’ (p. 49),
orously challenged by Scott. Unlike Condorcet, for
it is also an excellent work on the economics of capi-
instance, who stated that ‘a good law should be good
talism by a distinguished professor of business admin-
for all men. A true proposition is true everywhere’, the
istration. In the prevailing climate of China’s tepid
author defends the thesis that although there are uni-
nouveaux riches who are disinclined to initiate demo-
versal ideas, the means to attain them depend on indi-
cratic reform, a chapter about East Asia’s ‘authoritarian
vidual circumstances.
capitalism’ and the ‘Asian values’ debate of the 1990s
In working out the practical framework of his
vis-à-vis democracy would have been propitious. Nev-
theory, Scott relies on three basic concepts which he
ertheless, the author’s tour de force in weaving the con-
deems crucial for any healthy...
To continue reading
Request your trial