Guild Socialism: A Plan For Economic Democracy (1921)

Guild Socialism: A Plan for Economic Democracy is a book written by George Douglas Howard Cole in 1921. The book explores the concept of guild socialism, which is a form of socialism that emphasizes the importance of worker control and ownership of the means of production. Cole argues that guild socialism offers a viable alternative to both capitalism and traditional socialism. He believes that the key to economic democracy lies in the establishment of guilds, which are associations of workers in a particular industry or profession. These guilds would be responsible for managing the production and distribution of goods and services, as well as setting wages and working conditions.The book outlines the practical steps that would need to be taken in order to implement guild socialism, including the establishment of a national guild system and the creation of a new legal framework to support it. Cole also discusses the role of the state in a guild socialist system, arguing that it should act as a facilitator rather than a controller of economic activity.Overall, Guild Socialism: A Plan for Economic Democracy is an important work in the history of socialist thought. It offers a detailed and practical vision of a more democratic and equitable economic system, and remains relevant to debates about economic democracy and worker ownership today.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.