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The Acquisitive Society · Theme

Industrial Democracy and Freedom

How The Acquisitive Society develops Industrial Democracy and Freedom.

Tawney argues that political freedom is impossible without industrial freedom, criticizing the 'industrial feudalism' that concentrates authority in owners and denies workers control over their working lives.

Where it surfaces

  • The Condition of Efficiency

    Advocates for transferring control to bodies representing workers and consumers, and for enlisting professional pride as a substitute for capitalist discipline.

  • The Position of the Brain Worker

    Advocates for a system where authority is allocated by function, not by property, and where brain workers have professional autonomy and are judged by colleagues rather than owners.