Possessive Individualism

Daniel Bromley offers a fundamental critique of contemporary capitalism to explain why the world now finds itself in widespread disorder. The basic flaw, he argues, is the triumph of a culture of possessive individualism. As a result, capitalism is no longer an engine of improved livelihoods and social hope. Bromley explains that escape from this disorder requires that the private firm be reimagined as a public trust whose purpose is to offer plausible livelihoods as it also serves our acquisitive wants. However, the possessive individual also bears urgent responsibilities. We must renew the idea of loyalty to others-whether neighbors, fellow workers, or society at large.