«A coercive framework of industry». State, Capitalism and Conflict in the Economic Thought of J.R. Commons (1899–1915)

Abstract

This essay reconstructs J.R. Commons’ reflections on the role of the state in the period leading up to the Great War (1899–1915). What emerges is a pragmatic and flexible notion of statehood that sheds light on often overlooked aspects of Progressivism and its relationship with a class conflict that was never reabsorbed by reform efforts. Firstly, it highlights the importance of a political space kept open by radical workers, women's activism, and ethnic and racial groups. Secondly, it shows the complex intertwining of reform with the commitment to building a hierarchical order of work, consumption and citizenship.