No More Throw-Away People: The Co-Production Imperative

by Edgar S. Cahn

2nd edition. Softcover. Co-Production is a bold, pragmatic strategy for change agents who seek to shape the future, convert failing social programs into catalysts for social justice, enlist "Throw-Away People" as partners in a shared mission, and create the world we want for our children.

Genres: Nonfiction, Politics, Economics

226 pages

First published January 1, 2000

Reviews

[Ramón · Rating 4 out of 5]

Frustrated with the excesses of unchecked market capitalism? This book looks at an alternative way of looking at economy and gives some powerful examples of how that shift can play out in practice.

[Nia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cahn, in combination with Chris Gray in her new work on American Indian non-violent civil disobedience, shows how institutions can and must be re-developed to form a more just union.
In Service to Community,
ShiraDestinie Jones Landrac,
William-James-MEOW Date: Sunday, August 5. 12014 H.E. (Holocene Era)

[Mike Richardson · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is a lot of meat in the beginning. Pay attention early if you also have an interest in business, and maybe even take notes. It gives insight into problem discovery and hypothesis for general business skills in life. Lots of big words, like subordination and dependency to parity, mutuality and reciprocity, safety, mutual support and trust are put into examples in the context of the economy, and it is all within another context, which is mostly lawyer based. He is a lawyer. But he explains everything clearly. It's not too much about the individual, for example, he mentions, 'Absolute self-sufficiency in total isolation is not feasible.' It more covers economic terms, groups of people, efficiency and how to give or sell, depending on your viewpoint, more purpose to those groups. The rest of the book has more in depth examples of his setup of this amazing idea from the first chapters. It is also highly organized, and he explains the purpose of each chapter, which is why I think this book also provides almost like a framework into business and defining a problem and working with people. It's also a good business book that has a fascinating take with insight on core functions of life. I now have a new take on money and the price of things.

[Aram · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to like this book; really I did. I have been involved with timebanking here in Madison, WI and think it provides a revolutionary perspective on production, labor, and mutual exchange. Edgar Cahn is an amazing person and it's clear that he is doing cool stuff. However, the book falls flat. Probably my biggest complaint about my copy was that it was missing FOUR chapters. Instead, of the four chapters that were supposed to be there, the edition I read accidentally duplicated four previous chapters. This alone, soured my reading experience. Additionally the book could have been better edited. The ideas expressed need to organized in a manner that are more compelling and build the reader's understanding of how timebanking actually works. Instead, most of it comes of as anecdotal and seems scattered.

[Brena · Rating 4 out of 5]

Forces you to view the world through a nonconventional lens. Goes beyond the traditional thoughts of social justice and people in need.