Towards an Alternative to Neo-Liberalism: Class, Institutional and Organizational Analysis of the Role of Public, Nonprofit and Market Mechanisms for Achieving Social Justice

Abstract:   Over-reliance upon class analysis has obscured analysis of more universal human concerns related to human needs and rights as well as the natural environment.  Marxism and social democracy’s reliance upon state socialism has not proven to be a viable alternative, nor has the necessity of class struggle also been a sufficient force producing social change.  A viable alternative should counterpoise human rationality and democratic processes against unrestrained market forces.  A more sophisticated form of policy analysis is needed which can rely upon class, organizational, and institutional analysis as well as analysis of inequalities based upon gender, race and ethnicity in order to ascertain the best mix of public, nonprofit and for-profit social production needed within each policy domain in order to meet universal human needs in a culturally informed manner and in a way consistent with universal human rights.