The New Industrial State

I STARTED this book nearly ten years ago and, in a sense, it
started itself. What was to become The Affluent Society was
nearing completion; principally missing, I imagine, was the
note of spontaneity which comes into my writing in the fourth
or fifth draft. Presently another and larger world began obtrud-
ing itself on my thoughts. This was a world of great corpora-
tions in which people increasingly served the convenience of
these organizations which were meant to serve them. It was a
world in which the motives of organization members seemed
not to fit the standard textbook mold. Nor did the relationship
between business and state; Nor did markets. Especially mar-
kets. So far from being the controlling power in the economy,
markets were more and more accommodated to the needs and
convenience of business organizations. Numerous writers had
dealt with parts of this reality but without assuming larger
change. I became persuaded, reluctantly, that these parts be-
longed, indeed, to a much greater and very closely articulated
process of change.