ABSTRACT
This chapter speaks to how we believe how a society should be (Thatcher was wrong!) based upon not only private rights, but also common rights and responsibilities, and a society that is a Big Society, based upon a big idea! In this chapter, we propose a new model of political economy that builds upon the socially innovative models of employee ownership (John Lewis), the cooperative movement, building (mutual) societies. The digital economy has already demonstrated, with the likes of Wikipedia and the growth of communities of practice, the scope for the cooperation to succeed over competition. Thus, the real question is, how can these models be integrated and grounded locally, such that they fulfil the old environmentalists mantra of think global act local? This chapter is about showing how this can be done, with real examples of businesses and policy initiatives that is woven together effectively could provide a credible alternative to the neo-liberal status quo. In short, we seek to re-invent nineteenth century liberalism. We do not seek to destroy capitalism but do believe that economics is a means and not an end and can only regain its utility for most people by regaining a sense of inclusive virtue.
