Government As If The Constitution Mattered with Charles Reich

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In this still-relevant 1995 Archive Edition, Charles Reich, author of "The Greening of America," discusses the failure of societal efforts to change the system over the past 25 years. He critiques the economic system's prioritization over people and nature, advocating for a return to founding principles and a more democratic, person-oriented society. Reich emphasizes the need for a new map of reality, criticizes the media's role in perpetuating false narratives, and calls for a shift towards a human-based economics. He urges young people to avoid degrading work and to seek fulfilling, meaningful careers. (hosted by Michael Toms)

Bio

Charles Alan Reich (1928–2019) was an American legal scholar, professor, and writer best known for his influential 1970 book The Greening of America, which celebrated the 1960s counterculture and youth movement. Reich earned a bachelor’s degree from Oberlin College in 1949 before attending Yale Law School. After editing the Yale Law Journal and clerking for U.S. Supreme Court Justice Hugo L. Black, he practiced law at prominent firms in New York and Washington before joining Yale Law School as a professor in 1960.

Charles Reich’s books include:

• The Greening of America (Random House 1970)
• Sorcerer of Bolinas Reef (Random House 1976)

• Opposing the System (Crown 1995)

To learn more about the work and legacy of Charles Reich go to www.charlesareich.com

Topics explored in this dialogue include:

•  How the health of a society hinges on prioritizing economic systems over people and nature
•  Why the false map of reality hampers finding a new direction of society
• Why we need a new map of reality
•   How our political liberation can happen through individual change
• Why efforts to change the system have failed
•  How our present political leaders are misrepresenting reality and leading society towards economic insecurity and tyranny
•  What is the undemocratic nature of corporations and the need for a more inclusive and caring society
• What is the need to oppose the entire political parties prpcess
•  What is the invisible government
• Why there is a need for human-based economics that values work, caring for children, and human dignity in every job
•  What is leading to low voter turnout
•  What was the 1886 Supreme Court decision that gave corporation the same rights as natural persons
• What is the role of media in exacerbating distractions and false images
• What is the call to action urging people to understand the big picture, stop blaming scapegoats, and focus on affirmative new thinking

Host: Michael Toms    Interview Date: 10/27/1995   Program Number: 2551