The Past and Future of Democratic Capitalism

Instructor: George Swope
Time: Wednesdays from 1:30 - 3:00 pm
Location: Wellfleet Library
Dates: April 17, 24, May 1, 8, 15

Over the past 150 years in America a dynamic tension has existed between the oft competing ideologies of capitalism and democracy. The political and economic power of each has alternatively seemed to dominate our society and thus the fortunes of its citizens. Each ideology has assumed various forms over that time as well.

More recently, however, some argue that capitalism is better without democracy; others argue that democracy is better without capitalism. What are their arguments? What are the current trends of these two competing ideologies? What might our future of democratic capitalism in American be?

Reading and discussing The Crisis of Democratic Capitalism by Martin Wolf will provids us an opportunity to explore these and other questions. This course offers a facilitated discussion format to delve into these questions and hopefully arrive at our own if not conclusions at least a sense of direction.

“Martin Wolf has been an incisive commentator on economics and politics for a long time. This book is an excellent and thought-provoking synthesis of his views on democratic capitalism and how to fix it.” — Ben Bernanke, former chair of the Federal Reserve

George Swope serves as the facilitator of these discussions. He has a BA and MA in Russian Studies as well as an MBA from Northwestern University.  He is a retired history and politics teacher who also served as the leader of several educational and other not-for-profit organizations.