Building America

by Harry C. Boyte

Book Overview

Throughout history, work has always been the taproot of American democracy, enabling diverse people to forge connections with each other and to address the nation's problems. This book presents an... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1566394589
• ISBN13: 9781566394581
• Release Date: May 1996
• Publisher: Temple University Press
• Length: 272 Pages
• Weight: 0.80 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 5.5" x 8.2"

Customer Reviews

This book dares to remind us of our powerful role

This book brings us back to the absolute roots of our America. An idea that has been lost in a mass of individualism and consumerism.In fact, this book actually got me through the recent Sept. 11, 2001 events in NYC. I read it under the instruction of my College English Professor. At first it seemed overwhelming, but before long there was a feeling of hope.The United States over the years has faced phenomenal obstacles...time and time again we have come back and stronger than ever each time. It focuses on how people, like you and me have taken an initiative for positive change and have succeeded, time and time again. Using actual historical events to back the ideas presented.This book is intense, yet simple. It proves without a doubt the important role each of us plays directly affects the outcome as a whole of this our United States.I highly recommend it.

The State of Work: The Loss of Shared Experience in America

Boyte and Kari articulate the breakdown of citizenship in America, emphasizing the decline of shared experience and ownership in American public life. The dynamics of modern work, have taken people away from collective experiences, creating a contemporary society that places little value on individual contributions to the greater society. Boyte and Kari explore the relationship bewteen work and democracy, which they believe are both on the decline in America.Much of what Boyte and Kari write of, to me, reinforced the mainstay of Roosevelt's New Deal policies of putting people back to work -- which ultimately restored their dignatity, created identity as people contributed to society, and restored faith in American Democracy. This was an unparalled time in American History, where the people believed in their leader, accepted common values, and reuninited a fractured nation -- all on social-psychological terms based on collective participation in public life.I found this to be a very interesting and informative book. The book is relatively easy to read, and reframes the the problems of public work and democracy from a historical context -- which from my eyes makes it a very educational and worthwhile work.

Restoring Public Life in America, Rediscovering Citizenship

Boyte and Kari illustrate in vivid terms the challenges of our current political dilemma: America has become a nation of consumers at every level of our economy, government, and even the non-profit/volunteer sector. Citizens no longer see themselves as distinct actors, involved in the day to day toils of sustaining public goods and public life in general. Instead, this book travels through American history with up to date examples to make the point that a pattern of "citizens as consumers" leads to "cut my taxes, increase the spending" whining, with an overall erosion of public trust in our government and other public institutions. Boyte and Kari point to "work" as a central tenet of American democracy, as opposed to democratic self-governance as simply voting (at best) and consumption of public services. If you have ever felt angry or disillusioned about government as an increasingly larger service provider, the disproportionate power of experts and political professionals in our government, and the growing cynicism and lack of faith in American politics, then this book will replenish your energy with historical references from the Abraham Lincoln to Martin Luther King Jr, and offers a number of contemporary, hands-on examples of how democracy is being revitalized throughout the United States.