Questions about economic growth are typically left to macroeconomics, so we don't deal much with them in The Economics Anti-Textbook; it's focused on microeconomics. We do point to the evidence (in Chapter 4) about the apparent lack of any significant relationship between growth in per-person incomes and measures of well-being such as happiness and satisfaction with life. We also note the negative effects that conventional economic growth has in terms of its effects on climate change in particular. However, a proper discussion of the question of whether long-term economic growth is compatible with the finite nature of many of the resources we need for that growth was beyond the scope of our book.
In the most recent Guardian Weekly, I read a review of a new book, Prosperity Without Growth: Economics for a Finite Planet, by Tim Jackson, that tackles some big questions and seems well worth a look. The review is also available on The Guardian's main site:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2010/jan/23/properity-without-growth-tim-jackson
RH
In Defense of Mistakes
1 day ago
