Capital as mere means: Re-reading Tawney’s The Acquisitive Society in times of ecological crisis

This paper proposes re-reading Tawney’s The Acquisitive Society as a contribution to economic philosophy that contains important arguments on topics such as markets, workplace democracy, and the ‘greening’ of economic institutions. Central to Tawney’s account is his notion of ‘social functions’ towards which economic activity should be oriented, away from an unconditional understanding of property rights and especially “functionless property”. A ‘functional society’, Tawney argues, would create opportunities for meaningful work and social recognition for all workers. To organize work around the fulfilment of social functions, he recommends governance structures in which both workers and other stakeholders, e.g. customers, have a voice, and in which transparency and public oversight are key. From a contemporary perspective, Tawney’s account may require some updates, for example, with regard to the democratic determination of ‘social functions’ in a pluralistic society. Such updates, however, are possible, and make Tawney an interesting interlocutor for those trying to rethink our economic system in the face of the current social and ecological crises, especially in three respects: the discussion about the ‘asset economy’, the debate over ‘green growth’ versus ‘post growth’, and the call for a greater reflexivity of institutions.