Citizen Capitalism: How a Universal Fund Can Provide Influence and Income to All

Summary

Top Cornell law professor Lynn Stout and her coauthors Tamara Belinfanti and Sergio Gramitto offer a visionary but practical proposal to provide a guaranteed minimum income-it not only avoids creating a new government program or increasing taxes, but also gives the entire citizenry more influence in the economy. This book offers a powerful and simple plan for simultaneously accomplishing two far-reaching objectives: (1) providing a basic income for all citizens and (2) making capitalism more democratic and responsive to the will of the people. The authors detail how we can create a universal fund (similar to a mutual fund) through donations of stock and other securities by corporations and individuals. This fund would be owned by, and would provide an income supplement for, all Americans. It would be an independent entity, not a government agency. Its citizen-owners would participate in governing the fund and directing its share voting choices. This would give average citizens more influence over and a larger share of the financial benefits from the corporations that are the engines of our economy. It would make corporations part of the solution to income inequality. The result will be making capitalism work better for all while bringing hope to us, our children, and our society.