Drucker's vision of a "post-capitalist society"--one in which knowledge is the basic resource and nation-states compete with transnational, regional and tribal structures--is hardly original. What is new in this invigorating essay is his far-reaching analysis of the economic crisis of militarized, wasteful "megastates" like the United States and the former Soviet Union, which have failed to bring about a meaningful redistribution of income. Improving American productivity, he writes, will require investment in human resources and infrastructure (as Japan, Germany, Korea and Taiwan have done) and a drastic restructuring of organizations, including the elimination of most management layers. The federal goverment, Drucker asserts, should contract out tasks in the social sphere, confining itself to the role of policymaker. Among his other provocative proposals: jettison military aid to other countries; create a public audit agency to eliminate pork-barrel deals and special-interest politics; and hold schools accountable for students' performance. He also urges the creation of transnational institutions to cope with the environment, terrorism and arms control.

彼得·F·德鲁克，社会思想家，集作家、顾问、教授于一身。1909年11月19日生于奥地利维也纳，1937年移居美国，一生著有41部巨作。1939年出版《经济人的末日》，受到丘吉尔高度赞赏。1954年的《管理的实践》则奠定其大师级的不朽地位。之后的一系列著作构建了现代管理学的根基，因而他被尊称为“管理学教父”。但其本人则坚持以“社会生态学家”自居。通过管理的哲学思想贯彻落实“自由而有功能的社会”愿景。 2002年获美国总统布什颁发的“总统自由勋章”，这是美国公民所能获得的最高荣誉。2005年11月11日辞世，享年95岁。