Summer 2013, No. 29

For three decades, progressives have reviled supply-side economics without ever offering a powerful alternate theory. In this issue of Democracy, we do just that. We argue that the time is ripe for progressives to take up “middle-out economics” as the definitive retort to trickle-down economics. Middle-out economics contends that prosperity doesn’t trickle down from the top, but flows in a virtuous cycle from the middle out.

In our centerpiece symposium, we invited Eric Liu and Nick Hanauer, Neera Tanden, Eric Beinhocker, Bruce Bartlett, Mona Sutphen, and Heather Boushey, among others, to lay out the middle-out agenda.

Also in the issue: Rich Yeselson, a veteran of the labor movement, calls for a new approach for unions. Jason Bordoff, fresh off a stint as an adviser to President Obama, presents a comprehensive plan to revamp and modernize our energy infrastructure. Author and journalist Timothy Noah takes on Jonathan Haidt’s contention from our previous issue that economic issues are now just another theater in the culture war.

Elsewhere: Marc Lynch on the Muslim Brotherhood. Chrystia Freeland on how our corporate elites have changed. James Mann on Hillary Clinton’s stint as secretary of state. Kareem U. Crayton on the New South. And Jordan Michael Smith on Vital Center liberalism.

Back Issues Archive

Symposium

The Middle-Out Moment

For three decades, progressives have reviled supply-side economics without ever offering a powerful alternate theory of how an economy grows. Middle-out economics does just that.

By The Editors

3 MIN READ

The True Origins of Prosperity

By Eric Liu Nick Hanauer

15 MIN READ

Burying Supply-Side Once and for All

By Neera Tanden

11 MIN READ

A Truer Form of Capitalism

By Eric Beinhocker

12 MIN READ

Family Policy: The Foundation of a Middle-Out Agenda

By Heather Boushey

9 MIN READ

National Income: Paying Work, Not Capital

By Bruce Bartlett

7 MIN READ

Minimum Wage: Catching up to Productivity

By John Schmitt

8 MIN READ

Job Training: Cultivating the Middle-Skill Workforce

By Mona Sutphen

7 MIN READ

Labor: Building a New Future

By David Rolf

7 MIN READ

Environment and Energy: Revitalizing the Green Jobs Agenda

By Ethan Pollack

6 MIN READ

Trade: Boosting Exports to China

By Ed Gerwin

7 MIN READ

Features

Fortress Unionism

Decades after its passage, the Taft-Hartley Act still casts a shadow on labor. Unions have a future but only if they accept some difficult realities.

By Rich Yeselson

29 MIN READ

There Will Be Oil

Suddenly, the United States is energy rich. The problem is that were still guided by policies that assume the opposite.

By Jason Bordoff

29 MIN READ

Book Reviews

An Elite Deserving of the Name

Corporate executives once saw themselves as stewards of the good society. Today's CEOs can learn much from their predecessors.

By Chrystia Freeland

14 MIN READ

Winter in Cairo

The Muslim Brotherhood does contain within it less reactionary voices. Unfortunately, they always lose.

By Marc Lynch

17 MIN READ

Hillary’s Turn

Every secretary of state, we’re told, is going to be different from those who came before, but traditional demands inevitably take precedence.

By James Mann

15 MIN READ

Meet the New South...

Much has changed in the South, but enough hasn't that more change is needed. And...it's coming.

By Kareem U. Crayton

13 MIN READ

Dead Center

Obama's electoral wins and our shifting demographics portend a bright Democratic future. So why do centrists insist on fighting battles long won?

By Jordan Michael Smith

14 MIN READ

Responses

Fairness Doctrine

Economic policy isn't just another front in the culture war: We must champion both fairness and efficiency regardless of popular whim.

By Timothy Noah

8 MIN READ

Recounting

At Our Service

The conservative assault on government workers is in full swing. Progressives are doing too little to fight back.

By Elbert Ventura

10 MIN READ

Editor's Note

Editor's Note

Michael Tomasky introduces Issue #29

By The Editors

4 MIN READ

Letters

Letters to the Editor

By Democracy Readers

4 MIN READ

Back Issues Archive