People Before Profit: The New Globalization in an Age of Terror, Big Money, and Economic Crisis

by Charles Derber, Noam Chomsky (Foreword)

Has globalization failed us? The promises of economic stability, increased prosperity, and cultural cooperation seem more like a pipe dream than ever before. But rather than stop globalization, Charles Derber challenges us to rewrite its rules in order to fulfill its potential as an agent of democracy and global harmony. In this provocative and optimistic work, one of the first examinations of globalization after September 11, 2001, Derber argues that only a democratic cure--begun at the grassroots level--will end global terror and economic insecurity. People Before Profit provides an essential understanding of our world economy as well as a practical guide for building a stable and more equitable global community.

Genres: Nonfiction, Economics, Politics, Social Science

336 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2002

About the author

Charles Derber is Professor of Sociology at Boston College and has written 17 books - on politics, economy, capitalism, war, the culture wars, culture and conversation, and social change. He writes for and has been reviewed in the NY Times, the Washington Post, the Boston Globe, Truthout, and other leading media. His books are translated into Chinese, Korean, Tamil, German and Polish- and he is a bestseller in South Korea, done extended book tours in German bookstores and blues coffee houses, and has lectured in Italy in June for seven years. Derber is a public intellectual who believes that serious ideas should be written in an accessible and entertaining style.His most recent book is Sociopathic Society: A People's Sociology of the United States. He is also a life-long social justice activist and a terrific public speaker - so contact him and try to lure him to a public talk. Check out his Youtube presentations. He is married and has a beautiful Wheaten Terrier dog named Mojo, who lives up to his name.

Reviews

[Public Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good. I thought this book started off a little slow. However, once Derber got rolling with his critique of modern corporations and globalization things really picked up. This volume makes a lot of keen observations about how global capitalism and American hegemony interplay with terrorism and mistrust of the US abroad. I found it well-paced and focused. Derber makes a lot of good suggestions about how to advance globally in a more democratic and multilateral fashion. Worthwhile reading.

[Reeder · Rating 3 out of 5]

Derber was a professor of mine in college shortly after 9/11. He is a very interesting guy with a lot of provocative ideas. His class was a well run discussion of America's role in the world. We were discussing the Bush administration's disturbing attempts to link Iraq to Al Qaeda during the time the march to war was actually happening. The media is only now discovering and acknowledging things about the run up to the Iraq war that Charles Derber knew in 2002. I will always appreciate that experience.

[Valton Morgan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Derber approaches the many aspects of Globalization in a way that was easy for me to understand. His view is frank and in many ways practical. The best part for me is the way he breaks down truly socially responsible steps individuals can take to get involved in helping to create a Global Democracy in which we all have a place at the table. Unlike Thomas Friedman's works, Derber is far more interested in helping to change the current model rather than simply accepting it as simply "the way it is"

[Randall Wallace · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great book on perils of Globalization and Charles discusses all the stuff you need to know to move ahead, like the rarely discussed concept of “subsidiarity”. Charles shows how rights must be guaranteed everywhere or corporations will seek the places where they are still violated to do business. You must leave the corporations with “no place to flee”, you see. He points out much basic globalization hypocrisy like Bush pushing free trade while increasing protection for textiles, steel and other U.S. products. Since 9/11 many Americans have suddenly been interested in “world affairs and the roots of terrorism”. Poverty is a major root cause of terrorism; many terrorist groups intentionally enlist only the unemployed – 1,000 applicants is not uncommon. Today we are seeing countries like with a 50 to 90% unemployment and poverty rate; bear in mind that a rate of just 25% forced American elites to adopt the New Deal. Elites know that democratic governments often are less friendly to U.S. foreign policy and that U.S. profits selling military hardware to the likes of Saudi Arabia are huge. Not only is war good for business, war is business. So we support the Saudi monarchy to keep the profits coming while ignoring their routine beheadings of dissidents and of course world opinion. Bill Maher, Samuel P. Huntington and others would have us all concentrating on clashes between religions and cultures. Charles would rightly rather you concentrate on in the inequality of “power, wealth and influence”. People in the Middle East are a lot more pissed off by warplanes overhead, dead relatives, unflinching U.S. support for Israel and the Saudis than they are about whether a bad drawing was made of a certain prophet or whatever gets Huntington’s panties in a bunch. Evidently Charles cannot write a book that is not rewarding, thoughtful and deep.

[Tommy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book I've read by Charles Derber and I intend to read many more. Derber is intelligent and is very gifted at presenting both sides of the story and making his case without being an ideologue.

Derber frames the problem of our current system of globalization very well as corporate power, not corporations themselves, being problematic and outpacing governmental power in the global community.

So many great arguments in this book that I won't ruin for you. An absolute MUST READ for anyone interested in globalization, the economy, politics, world events...anything.

[Derek · Rating 3 out of 5]

Derber examines the foundations of corporate globalization, and proposes alternatives to that model of economics. The book explains that globalization isn't the problem per se, but rather the basis for that globalization. Globalization can be made to serve the people of earth if it is based on a more democratic model. Derber offers some steps we can take as citizens to begin moving our economic system in that direction.

[Carly · Rating 3 out of 5]

I just finished reading this book for my Global Studies class. I learned several things about globalization that I would not have known otherwise and now I know the truth. Derber touched on several interesting ideas and he had amusing metaphors. I probably would have enjoyed this book more had I been reading for my enjoyment.

[Megan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed Derber's discussion of Popeye Economics.

[Ashley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Book club pick for June 2013