Seeking Equality: The Political Economy of the Common Good in the United States and Canada

"Through a careful and judicious comparison of welfare policy broadly understood and concepts of the common good in Canada and the United States, Harles examines inequality’s danger to individual capabilities, individual public health, cultural unity, justice, and political stability."

C. P. Waligorski, Choice Connect, June 2018 vol. 55 # 10

"This book is a rich and insightful examination of the dramatic differences in inequality in the United States and Canada, despite our shared border and many commonalities. Scholars, politicians, and the public have begun to accept the notion that opportunity is not created equally. This book highlights the important role that national values and policy play in orchestrating flawed systems. Now, more than ever before, we are reflecting upon American and Canadian political differences and collective angst about the stunted economic well-being of families. As this book underscores, history is not destiny. The Canadian model offers glimmers of hope for how to reshape the American Dream for the betterment of the next generation." Diana Elliott, Senior Research Associate, Urban Institute

"Thanks to John Harles, everybody seeking the common good of less inequality in North America can now tread a path in the full limelight of strong, comparative empirical evidence." Göran Therborn, University of Cambridge, author of The Killing Fields of Inequality

"Seeking Equality details the tremendously inegalitarian effects of the class war from above in the United States and Canada since the 1970s. It clearly shows that while Canadians have nothing to be complacent about, by every measure the United States has become much more unequal. Harles makes a compelling case regarding the effects that even small differences in cultural values, political structures, and public policy can have. This is an extremely timely book that deserves to be on every required reading list." Leo Panitch, Emeritus Distinguished Research Professor of Political Science, York University, Toronto