Inclusive capitalism

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Inclusive capitalism, or stakeholder capitalism, is a theoretical concept and policy movement that seeks to address the growing income inequality and wealth inequality within Western capitalism following the 2008 financial crisis. [1]

Contents

Contemporary understanding

Robert Ashford argues that the concept of inclusive capitalism is rooted in the postulates of the binary economics. [2] [3]

C. K. Prahalad opens his 2005 book The Fortune at the Bottom of the Pyramid: Eradicating Poverty Through Profits by asking “Why can’t we create inclusive capitalism”. [4] He uses the term “inclusive capitalism” to invite readers to focus on underserved consumers and markets in order to create opportunity for all. [5]

Implementation

In 2012, the Henry Jackson Society created an Inclusive Capitalism Initiative task force in order to start a transatlantic conversation about the growing income inequalities and their threat to the capitalist system. [6]

In 2014, Conference on Inclusive Capitalism, co-hosted by the City of London and E. L. Rothschild holding company, was held in London where the concept of inclusive capitalism was discussed as a practical measure. [7] At another conference in 2015 the "Pathway to Action" was brainstormed. [8] In the same 2015 year, the Coalition for Inclusive Capitalism was registered in the United States as a not-for-profit organization. [9] Lynn Forester de Rothschild became the founding CEO of the Coalition. At the 2016 Conference on Inclusive Capitalism in New York City, participants expressed commitment to promote inclusive economic growth. [10] Members of the Coalition expressed a belief that all stakeholders, including business and society, should be engaged in the enactment of an inclusive capitalism agenda [1] [11]

In 2019, the Embankment Project for Inclusive Capitalism (EPIC) undertaken by the Coalition together with Ernst & Young reported its findings in a white paper. It was a pioneering effort to "develop a framework and identify meaningful metrics to report on long-term and inclusive value creation activities that heretofore have not been captured on traditional financial statements". [12]

In 2020, the Council for Inclusive Capitalism, a partnership of the Coalition with the Vatican, was created. [13] [14] [15]

Criticism

John Kay claims that most of the 21st-century businesses are already inclusive. [16]

Nafeez Ahmed describes the Inclusive Capitalism Initiative as a Trojan Horse assembled to pacify the coming global revolt against capitalism. [17]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Paul Thanos. American Inclusive Capitalism: An Agenda for a New Business Activism, Wilson Center, April 26, 2017
  2. Robert Ashford. Why Working but Poor: The Need for Inclusive Capitalism, 49 Akron L. Rev. 507 (2016)
  3. Professor Robert Ashford’s 'Inclusive Capitalism' Gains International Support, Syracuse University News, September 27, 2017
  4. Prahalad 2005:xv
  5. Prahalad 2005:xvii
  6. Towards a More Inclusive Capitalism. By the Henry Jackson Initiative for Inclusive Capitalism
  7. A movement to restore trust in capitalism, September 27, 2016
  8. Marsh, P., Dimson, E. and Staunton, M. Inclusive Capitalism: The Pathway to Action. Thoughts from the 2015 Conference on Inclusive Capitalism. London: Coalition for Inclusive Capitalism, 2015. ISBN   9780993379703
  9. Coalition for Inclusive Capitalism
  10. Global Private Sector Leaders Make Commitments to Investment and Business Practices That Stimulate Long-Term Value Creation at the 2016 Conference on Inclusive Capitalism in New York City, Business Wire, October 10, 2016
  11. Actions to Achieve Inclusive Capitalism Mark Weinberger, EY CEO
  12. The Embankment Project for Inclusive Capitalism (“EPIC”): A Better Way to Value the American Worker, Coalition for Inclusive Capitalism, 2019.
  13. Edgecliffe-Johnson, Andrew (8 December 2020). "Pope Francis gives his blessing to Council for Inclusive Capitalism". New York: Financial Times. Retrieved 24 April 2025.
  14. Council for Inclusive Capitalism launches partnership with Vatican, Angelusnews.com, December 9, 2020
  15. Anne Quito. Pope Francis is backing a new movement to redefine capitalism as a force for good, Quartz Media, December 8, 2020
  16. Moving Beyond “Capitalism”, March 13, 2018
  17. Nafeez Ahmed. Inclusive Capitalism Initiative is Trojan Horse to quell coming global revolt: Henry Jackson Society's pre-emptive PR offensive seeks to popularise parasitic economic growth for the few, The Guardian, 28 May 2014

Further reading

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