Saving American capitalism: a liberal economic program

A book by many authors profits from allocation of tasks to the expert in each field, but it may lose in lack of integration, in gaps, in repetitions, and in disagreements. The editor, his research assistant, and finally Knopf's editor, have each tried in turn to deal with the problem of integration and excessive repetition. We hope that we have succeeded. Gaps have been the special responsibility of the editor who started on the assumption that he would merely write a brief intro duction and conclusion, but soon found that he had to com tribute about one-fourth to one-third of the volume, and the explanation was not merely the difficulty of finding qualified contributors. Yawning gaps which were not at all evident in the blueprint stage appeared as the manuscript took shape

Disagreement is not a significant problem in this volume. When there has been substantial disagreement, the editor was disposed not to attempt coercion or even perus sion. Perhaps the most striking instance is Mr. Berge's pleas for vigorous action on the monopoly front, in contrast with the views of several others who would accept bigness and at tempt to control it in the public interest. Where facts seemed to be at variance, we made an attempt to reconcile them

Apparently without exception, the authors in this volume have in common a disposition to save capitali, at least a large part of our system of private enterprise They know only too well that the disappearance of our present system may well jeopardize our freedoms.