Civilizing the State

Reclaiming Politics for the Common Good

Civilizing the State explores the disintegration of the liberal state in the face of rising polarization and corporate power. Drawing on international examples of democratic citizen-powered alternatives, it offers a vision of a partner state that could enable equity and economic democracy, driven by civil society.

By: John Restakis

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Description

The liberal state is dead, long live the partner state

Across the world, the liberal nation state is on its knees. Rising inequality, deep political polarization, and the pervasive power of corporations are tearing apart the social contract and threatening to crush democracy.

Civilizing the State traces the history and development of the liberal state and its changing role from the enabler of capitalism to protector of citizen welfare, to its hollowing out and capture by corporate and elite interests rendering it unfit to address the compounding crises of inequality, injustice, ecological collapse, and loss of legitimacy.

Author John Restakis explores citizen-powered alternatives and experiments in co-operation, deep democracy, solidarity economics, and commoning from Spain, India, the global peasant movement, and the emerging stateless democracy of Rojava rising from the wreckage of the Syrian civil war.

The final section views the current crisis as an opportunity to reimagine the state not as handmaid to predatory elites but as a partner state that promotes equity, economic democracy, co-operation, and human thriving, driven by deep democracy and a fully sovereign civil society.

Incisive, penetrating, and inspirational, this is essential reading for all engaged citizens with a stake in co-creating a better future for all.

About The Author(s)

John Restakis has been active in the co-op movement for 25 years. He is the former Executive Director of Community Evolution Foundation and the BC Co-operative Association. John is Co-founder of Synergia Co-operative Institute. A practitioner and pioneering researcher into international co-operative economies, he writes and lectures on economic democracy and the role of co-operatives in humanizing economies. He is the author of Humanizing the Economy: Co-operatives in the Age of Capital and lives in Vancouver, BC.

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Civilizing the State: YouTube Video Cover

“Civilizing the State” Book Introduction [5:16]

ISBN: 9780865719439

Page Count: 224

Dimensions: 6 × 9 × 0.49 in

Publication Date: November 02, 2021

Audiobook Narrator: David Adams

Audiobook Length: 7:50:49

This publication meets the EPUB Accessibility requirements, and it also meets the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG-2.2 AAA). It is screen-reader-friendly and accessible to persons with disabilities. This book contains various accessibility features such as alternative text for images, table of contents, landmarks, reading order, page list, structural navigation, and semantic structure. Blank pages have been removed from this EPUB. For further information or questions contact [email protected].

Conformance: EPUB Accessibility Compliant | WCAG 2.2 AAA Compliant

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Content Enhancements:
Alternative Text for Images: Descriptive text provided for all images, ensuring visual content is accessible.
Table of Contents: Easy navigation through a structured table of contents.
Landmarks: Clearly defined landmarks for quick navigation to key sections.
Reading Order: Logical and consistent reading order for sequential content consumption.
Page List: Accurate page list for physical page referencing.
Structural Navigation: Clear hierarchical structure for easy content traversal.
Semantic Structure: Use of appropriate semantic markup for content clarity and meaning.

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This publication offers text that is readable by screen readers and provides partial accessibility for persons with disabilities. It contains limited accessibility features. For further information or questions contact [email protected].

Key Accessibility Features (Partial):

Screen Reader Compatibility: Text is readable by screen readers. | Partial accessibility for persons with disabilities.

Content Enhancements (Limited):
Table of Contents: Easy navigation through a structured table of contents.
Structural Navigation: Clear hierarchical structure for easy content traversal.

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Partial Accessibility: The publication includes some basic accessibility features, but is not fully accessible.
Disproportionate Burden: Full remediation to meet all accessibility requirements is not provided due to the disproportionate burden.
Financial Constraints: The estimated cost of full accessibility updates (including semantic tagging, image descriptions, and enhanced navigation) significantly exceeds projected sales revenue.
Non-Viable Remediation: The publisher has determined that a complete remediation effort is not financially viable.