The Covenant of Democracy: Should Government be Run Like a Business?

The Covenant of Democracy: Should Government Be Run Like a Business? presents three independent arguments against what many regard as a mantra of contemporary American politics the idea that government should be ""run like a business."" Beginning with economic and moral arguments about the inadequacy of the market to deal with major societal issues, the book shows that the ""social covenant"" that grounds contemporary American society is incompatible with the economic goals of major corporations. Roper relates the economic and ethical aspects of his argument to the philosophical ""covenantal"" justification by reference to ""symbolic meanings."" The Third Edition includes a more nuanced account of the ""social covenant,"" including the importance of transparency and accountability, as well as new Chapters on privatization, risk, and the corporatized university. It also includes major appendices on Adam Smith and the ""Citizens United"" Supreme Court Decision.