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Corporate Social Responsibility
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10.18.2005 ET
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Book Release: The Fox In The Henhouse:How Privatization Threatens Democracy by Si Kahn and Elizabeth Minnich
(CSRwire) Privatization has been part of the conservative agenda for years,
but now it has the power of the Bush administration and the Republican
controlled Congress behind it. Schools, Social Security, public lands, the
military, prisons--are all considered fair game. But does privatization
really serve the public good? Or is it a payoff to powerful corporations
intent on replacing the government with a "private profit culture," in
which there is no meaningful public accountability and the bottom line
rules all? In The Fox In The Henhouse: How Privatization Threatens
Democracy, legendary activist Si Kahn and public philosopher
Elizabeth Minnich argue that privatization is a threat whose seriousness
few appreciate.
Kahn and Minnich expose the damage privatization has done in several
specific areas of society, as well as to society as a whole. They argue
that corporations are, by their very nature, unable to effectively fulfill
the role in society that the federal government has played since the
administration of Franklin Roosevelt. There are functions in the public
realm that are worth doing for their sake alone--education of our
children, defense of our country, and protection of our environment--that
should not and cannot be done purely for profit. Without a balance between
the public and private sectors, vulnerable populations will be chronically
underserved and critical public functions will be under-funded to the
point of virtual elimination. As noted columnist Paul Krugman wrote in his
column "Killed by Contempt" (NYT, Sept. 5, 2005), "For 25 years the right
has been denigrating the public sector, telling us that government is
always the problem, not the solution. Why should we be surprised that when
we needed a government solution (as in the case of Hurricane Katrina), it
wasn't forthcoming?"
Privatization is usually dealt with in dry economic terms, but is anything
but a dry inconsequential topic. Si Kahn and Elizabeth Minnich take a
passionate and lively approach to the issue. By combining stories,
analysis, impassioned argument, and even song lyrics, they discuss how the
concept of privatization has evolved, emphasizing the extremist
anti-government ideology that motivates most privatization advocates. The
authors close the book by outlining principles and practices needed by
concerned citizens for combating privatization and its proponents.
The Fox in the Henhouse makes a powerful case that the
market is not the measure of all things, and that a vital public sector is
an indispensable component of a healthy democracy.
****
"While we stare at American Idol, the privatizing
corporations and their right-wing political buddies are running the
Constitution through a paper shredder. Like this excellent and timely book
says, these days the foxes aren't just guarding the henhouse--they're on
the inside. Unless we want to be devoured by the corporate foxes, we
chickens better get organized. Reading The Fox in the
Henhouse is a great place to start."
--Jim Hightower, New York Times best-selling author and publisher of
the populist newsletter, the Hightower Lowdown
"The Fox In The Henhouse is one of the most important political
books of the year. The authors make a compelling moral case that American
treatment of prisoners has silently been shifting from a function of a
civilized society to a means of profit with decreasing regard for
essential and long held moral boundaries. No one can talk authoritatively
about the moral climate of America without taking into account the issues
this book brings to light."
--Danny Goldberg, CEO, Air America Radio
"If you care about your children's education, the quality of the air
you breathe and the water you drink, affordable health care or Social
Security, you need to read The Fox in the Henhouse.
Privatization proponents are working to turn everything from national
security to the national parks over to for-profit corporations, with no
public accountability or government oversight. Si Kahn and Elizabeth
Minnich have raised the alarm in their fascinating and compelling book.
And they have given us a blueprint of how to organize now to protect our
country and our future."
--Jan Schakowsky, U.S. House of Representatives
"Inspiring to read, The Fox in the Henhouse will be of
great value to organizers, activists, citizens of conscience in these
perilous days ahead. At a time when nothing less than our democracy is at
stake, when extremists want to roll back our hard-earned rights and
achievements, it offers a spirited blueprint for all citizens who care
about renewing America's best and most generous traditions."
--Katrina vanden Heuvel, Editor, The Nation
"This book has some fancy long words in it, but it also has some great
stories and songs. You'll learn what some of the long words really
mean--the long words used by high and mighty people in this land of the
free. Remember, Ben Franklin was age 81 when the U.S. Constitution was
finally put together 218 years ago. A woman asked him, 'Mr. Franklin, what
kind of a government do we have now?' He replied, 'A republic. If you can
keep it.'"
--Pete Seeger, Musician
"Concentrations of great wealth do not serve economic or political
justice. Our private lives are not safe without publicly protected, equal
civil rights. The Fox in the Henhouse was obviously written
to wake us up to the real threats of privatization. It's urgent: read
it!"
--Tammy Baldwin, U.S. House of Representatives
****
Si Kahn has worked for 40 years as a civil rights, labor, and
community organizer. He is executive director of Grassroots Leadership (www.grassrootsleadership.org),
a 25-year-old progressive non-profit organization that works to abolish
for-profit private prisons, jails and detention centers. A songwriter and
musician (www.sikahn.com), Si Kahn is
releasing his 15th CD Blood From Stones concurrently with
The Fox in the Henhouse.
Elizabeth Minnich is Senior Fellow at the Association of American
Colleges and Universities. She has worked for 40 years as a university
professor and administrator, author, speaker, workshop leader, consultant,
and scribe. A feminist philosopher, she has lectured at over 150 colleges
and universities (www.elizabethminnich.com).
BK Currents titles advance social and economic justice by exploring the
critical intersections between business and society. Offering a unique
combination of thoughtful analysis and progressive alternatives, BK
Currents titles promote positive change at the national and global
levels.
The Fox In The Henhouse: How Privatization Threatens Democracy
By Si Kahn and Elizabeth Minnich
Published by Berrett-Koehler Publishers, Inc.
A BK Currents Book
Number of Pages: 320
ISBN: 978-1-57675-337-8
Paper, $14.95
Publication Date: October 27, 2005
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