ABSTRACT
The global crisis at work originates in the 1980s, following the disqualification of the Keynesian model of full employment and, more generally, of socialism and planning. These theories have been replaced by a generalised belief in market efficiency as a general system of governance for all human activities. This has raised a dilemma. On the one hand, the current crisis is the outcome of such beliefs in market efficiency. On the other hand, times have changed, and it is impossible to return to the Keynesian model of full employment as it was. What should be done? Should we undertake nothing beyond rhetoric, thus allowing market apologists to continue their race towards the abyss, or should we search for a new political path that would be capable of overcoming this dilemma? The issue involves more than merely finding an alternative to flexicurity. More fundamentally, it involves discovering the foundations for a new economic and social model. In this chapter, we trace several elements of such a model by reviewing the potentialities of the capability approach. We begin by presenting several general guidelines. We then specify the most prominent characteristics of work policies based on capabilities, and we draw conclusions regarding desirable reforms to democratic practices with regard to the transformation of work.
