Transcending Capitalism: Visions of a New Society in Modern American Thought

337 Pages·2006·4.254 MB·English

by  Howard Brick

TRANSCENDING CAPITALISM

Transcending
Capitalism
VISIONS OF A NEW SOCIETY IN
MODERN AMERICAN THOUGHT
* * *
Howard Brick
CORNELL UNIVERSITY PRESS
ithaca and london
Publication of this book was made possible, in part, by a
grant from Washington University in St. Louis.
Copyright © 2006 by Cornell University
All rights reserved. Except for brief quotations in a review, this book,
or parts thereof, must not be reproduced in any form without
permission in writing from the publisher. For information, address
Cornell University Press, Sage House, 512 East State Street, Ithaca,
New York 14850.
First published 2006 by Cornell University Press
Printed in the United States of America
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Brick, Howard, 1953–
Transcending capitalism : visions of a new society in modern American
thought / Howard Brick.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN-13: 978-0-8014-2590-5 (cloth : alk. paper)
ISBN-10: 0-8014-2590-5 (cloth : alk. paper)
1. Sociology—United States—History—20th century. 2. Econom-
ics—United States—History—20th century. 3. Capitalism—United
States—History—20th century. 4. Social change—United States—
History—20th century. 5. United States—Social conditions—20th cen-
tury. 6. United States—Economic conditions—20th century. I. Title.
HM477.U6B753 2006
306.3'4209730904—dc22
2006019345
Cornell University Press strives to use environmentally responsible
suppliers and materials to the fullest extent possible in the publishing
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and acid-free papers that are recycled, totally chlorine-free, or partly
composed of nonwood fibers. For further information, visit our website
at www.cornellpress.cornell.edu.
Cloth printing 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
In memory of
Julius H. Brick

Contents
*
Acknowledgments ix
Introduction: To Name a New Society in the Making 1
1 Capitalism and Its Future on the Eve of World War I 23
2 The American Theory of Organized Capitalism 54
3 The Interwar Critique of Competitive Individualism 86
4 Talcott Parsons and the Evanescence of Capitalism 121
5 The Displacement of Economy in an Age of Plenty 152
6 The Heyday of Dynamic Sociology 186
7 The Great Reversal 219
Conclusion: On Transitional Developments
beyond Capitalism 247
Notes 275
Index 313
vii

Acknowledgments
*
T
his book has been in progress so long that my thanks would be long-
winded indeed if I was able to remember all who assisted me over many
years. Thanks begin with a graduate school colleague, Karl Pohrt; my
teacher Alan M. Wald; and the cordial subject of my first book, Daniel Bell,
whose work, and letters to me, always kept me thinking. I am indebted too
to the memory of John O. King III, who first told me I should read Talcott
Parsons and try to figure out what to make of him historically.
Work on this project began with a summer stipend from the National En-
dowment for the Humanities, obtained with the support of the College at
the University of Chicago, and a year as Andrew Mellow Faculty Fellow in
History of American Civilization at Harvard University. Academic leave was
provided by the University of Oregon, in the form of a term’s fellowship at
the university’s Humanities Center, and by Washington University in St.
Louis. The Warren Center for Studies in American History provided a stim-
ulating milieu for research, conversation, and writing. I have also benefited
from a number of excellent research assistants: Christopher Phelps, Mike
Boles, Jenny Slosar, Michael Brick, Rachel Davis, and Ethan Arpi. Archivists
provided indispensable help at the Pusey Library, Harvard University; Yale
University archives; Library of Congress manuscript collections; the Tami-
ment Library, New York University; and the University of Chicago.
Along the way, I was lucky to receive comments, advice, and encourage-
ment from Fred Block, Jeffrey Alexander, Bernard Barber, Richard Swed-
berg, Eileen Boris, Linda Nicholson, David Ciepley, Julian Bourg, Miriam
ix