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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