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Essay on Drift and Mastery-2
Almost a century ago, Walter Lippmann, in his book "Drift and Mastery," warned that civilization was becoming so complex that "the purchaser can't pit himself against the producer, for he lacks knowledge and power to make the bargain a fair one." The knowledge equation is shifting back toward the purchaser, and the power is following.
Early on, Lippmann was optimistic about American democracy. He believed that the American people would become intellectually-engaged in political and world issues and fulfill their democratic role as an educated electorate. This is Walter Lippmann’s erudite and often perspicuous examination of the "progressing" American society of the early twentieth century. For Lippmann society is in a constant state of drift and confusion. The confusion is promulgated throughout society by means of the large scale shift from pre-modern industrialism to modern industrialism.
In order to obtain mastery what new forms of cohesion have to emerge? Lippmann rejects laissez-fair, William Graham Sumner’s brand of individualism, and aligns himself with men like Herbert Croly (his soon to be partner at the New Republic). Society needs cohesion. Lippmann’s answer, similar to Croly’s, is pluralism (this is mastery).
He does not buy the totally homogenous vision of society. Instead his vision is pluralist - large interest groups are emerging and social order can be achieved if a balance or common principle can be met between these common interest groups. In Drift and Mastery Lippmann discusses organized labor (in which he welcomes unions distinguishing himself from Croly), the consumer movement (the importance of objective consumer advice), the women movement, and corporate managers (Lippmann had already abandoned his previous attraction to socialism.
For Lippmann socialism was no longer needed because the robber barons were being replaced by socially minded managers who wanted to establish market share. Ownership is being democratized by the share of stock......
