This work, originally published in 1989, examines a highly important phenomenon: the growth of profit-sharing and share-ownership schemes for employees within the company. The Origins of Economic Democracy traces the origins and developments of such schemes internationally, and presents an explanatory framework for understanding their emergence. Both legislation and economic conditions play key roles in determining the popularity of such schemes for companies and their employees. The subject of profit-sharing is of vital importance to companies endeavouring to improve their financial performance while increasing the degree of job satisfaction and organizational loyalty of staff members.

Preface and Acknowledgements; 1. Point of Departure 2. Power in Industrial Relations 3. Proposals by Management 4. Workers' Initiatives 5. Trade Unions, Their Officials, and Workers' Participation 6. Politics and Participation 7. Conclusions and Prospects; Bibliography; Author Index; Subject Index