Beyond Plutocracy: How to Really Fix What’s Really Wrong With the American Government

by Roger D. Rothenberger

Plutocracy is governance by the wealthy. Most of America’s many political, economic and social ills are caused or aggravated by its most fundamental problem: America is not really a democracy but a plutocracy dominated and governed by a wealthy few. The wealthy hold a perpetual hegemony of power in our government through the generations, much to the detriment of the rest of the populace. Elections and our government’s offices, laws, actions and favors are bought and sold just like any other commodity. America has the best government that money can buy...

Precisely because our government lies at the heart of the problem it also lies at the heart of the solution. If we alter our government in a way that makes it honestly include and serve the entire electorate, then we can easily and permanently correct the profound unfairness and inequity inherent in our current political-economic system...

Unlike plutocracy, which only achieves the consensus of a simple majority of elites, and majority-rule democracy, which only achieves the consensus of a simple majority of the electorate, consensus democracy achieves a political-economic consensus of the entire electorate. It produces a balanced, equitable market economy, a lean, centered, moderate, functional government and free, responsible citizens within a just, open, pluralistic, peacefully evolving, ever improving society that avoids the extremes and screams of both the Left and the Right.

So how do we fix it? Rothenberger is a true outsider who presents a completely out-of-the-box solution in a clear and completely readable style. Part direct democracy and part representative government, he calls his creation "consensus democracy". Even if you are unwilling to follow him into a major change in our governing system his analysis and insights about our current system are well worth the read.

150 pages, ebook

Reviews

[T. P. Alexanders · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unquestionably the most articulate and well thought out solution to our current complex problem. Rothenberger gets to the heart of the issue and makes you see it in a completely different light.