The ideas of economic democracy and financial participation are not new. The International Congress on profit-sharing first met in Paris in 1889. However since then, the numerous schemes have met with mixed reactions and various levels of success.

In Economic Democracy and Financial Participation, Daryl D'Art has two objectives. Firstly, to examine if, and under what conditions, profit-sharing schemes and employee shareholding can motivate workers and generate cooperative striving. Secondly he identifies the schemes of financial participation which have the potential to realise economic democracy within the individual firm and wider society.