Slog

News & Arts

Line Out

Music & the City
at Night

« Komen Denies Political Motivations… | Donald Trump to Endorse Newt Gingri… »

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Books Get a Free E-Book on Income Inequality

Posted by Paul Constant on Wed, Feb 1, 2012 at 3:54 PM

Every month, University of Chicago Press offers an e-book to their readers for free. It's a no-strings attached deal, and they've given some real beauties away since they started the program last year. This month's book, though, is something extra-special. It's titled What Class War? What Americans Really Think About Economic Inequality, and it promises to change your mind about what the average American wants out of their government. This is from the book's official description:

At every income level and in both major political parties, majorities embrace conservative egalitarianism—a philosophy that prizes individualism and self-reliance as well as public intervention to help Americans pursue these ideals on a level playing field. Drawing on hundreds of opinion studies spanning more than seventy years, including a new comprehensive survey, Page and Jacobs reveal that this worldview translates to broad support for policies aimed at narrowing the gap between rich and poor and creating genuine opportunity for all. They find, for example, that across economic, geographical, and ideological lines, most Americans support higher minimum wages, improved public education, wider access to universal health insurance coverage, and the use of tax dollars to fund these programs.

Looks to be super-timely, even though it was published in 2009 and written before the economic collapse. And did I mention it's free? Because it's free. Go get it.

Comments (6) RSS

Oldest First Unregistered On Registered On Add a comment

And yet, voter turnout remains dismally low, year after year.

I guess people don't want those things that badly.

Posted by Urgutha Forka on February 1, 2012 at 4:00 PM

Or maybe the Incumbent Protection Class keeps the One Percent in power while the 99 Percent wish America lived up to it's ideals, @1.

Gerrymandering. It's everywhere. Barriers to voting. Stuff like that.

My pitchfork and torches franchises are going to do record business this decade.

Posted by Will in Seattle

on February 1, 2012 at 4:19 PM

@1 Helps when we have someone to vote for instead of vote against.

Posted by OuterCow on February 1, 2012 at 4:23 PM

@1, the book describes the opening experienced and newcomer politicos can use if they wish. That they haven't begun to until recently, so far into the recession, is an interesting commentary on that civic torpor you describe. Whether the politicos and activisty set wind up using the rhetoric for pandering, for genuine change, or for the usual smidge of both remains to be seen.

Posted by gloomy gus on February 1, 2012 at 5:11 PM

No Kindle support... Where's the love, U of Chicago Press?

Posted by Greg on February 1, 2012 at 6:04 PM

@3 - Voting against is a strong motivator for many people. Republicans who hate Romney will show up in droves to vote against the Kenyan Europhile who hates America.

I certainly will be voting against the Republican, as Obama disappoints in many ways. But, selfishly I want to qualify for healthcare without working continuously till I'm 65 and get Medicare. (Or with Republicans in charge, till I'm 75.)

And I don't want a string of judges like Roberts and Alito.

So yes, I'm highly motivated to show up to vote "against." You should try it! I promise: only a small part of you dies inside.

Posted by Free Lunch on February 1, 2012 at 6:31 PM