From Head Shops to Whole Foods: The Rise and Fall of Activist Entrepreneurs Contributor(s): Davis, Joshua (Author) |
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ISBN: 0231171587 ISBN-13: 9780231171588 Publisher: Columbia University Press OUR PRICE: $36.63 Product Type: Hardcover - Other Formats Published: August 2017 |
Additional Information |
BISAC Categories: - Business & Economics | Corporate & Business History - General - Business & Economics | New Business Enterprises - Political Science | Political Ideologies - General |
Dewey: 322.309 |
LCCN: 2016050678 |
Series: Columbia Studies in the History of U.S. Capitalism |
Physical Information: 1.3" H x 6.3" W x 9.1" (1.30 lbs) 336 pages |
Themes: - Chronological Period - 1950-1999 - Chronological Period - 21st Century |
Descriptions, Reviews, Etc. |
Publisher Description: In the 1960s and '70s, a diverse range of storefronts--including head shops, African American bookstores, feminist businesses, and organic grocers--brought the work of the New Left, Black Power, feminism, environmentalism, and other movements into the marketplace. Through shared ownership, limited growth, and democratic workplaces, these activist entrepreneurs offered alternatives to conventional profit-driven corporate business models. By the middle of the 1970s, thousands of these enterprises operated across the United States--but only a handful survive today. Some, such as Whole Foods Market, have abandoned their quest for collective political change in favor of maximizing profits. Vividly portraying the struggles, successes, and sacrifices of these unlikely entrepreneurs, From Head Shops to Whole Foods writes a new history of social movements and capitalism by showing how activists embraced small businesses in a way few historians have considered. The book challenges the widespread but mistaken idea that activism and political dissent are inherently antithetical to participation in the marketplace. Joshua Clark Davis uncovers the historical roots of contemporary interest in ethical consumption, social enterprise, buying local, and mission-driven business, while also showing how today's companies have adopted the language--but not often the mission--of liberation and social change. |