Vol. 3 No. 1 (2018): Economic Growth
Articles

Rethinking Everything: A sustainable economic system requires radical change in almost everything people consider normal

Graeme Maxton
Bio
This image of the cover of this issue of The Journal of Population and Sustainability has the title in block letters on a grey-green background.

Published 2018-12-01

How to Cite

Maxton, Graeme. 2018. “Rethinking Everything: A Sustainable Economic System Requires Radical Change in Almost Everything People Consider Normal”. The Journal of Population and Sustainability 3 (1):35–51. https://doi.org/10.3197/jps.2018.3.1.35.

Abstract

Economic growth is not a prerequisite for human development. While economic growth appeared useful following the Second World War, its continued pursuit will result in further environmental destruction and ever-widening inequality. It risks making climate change unstoppable, with dire consequences for humanity and most other species. It is not possible to make a gradual shift to a more sustainable system, as the basic requirements for an enduring economic system are fundamentally different from those that currently exist. To avoid an environmental catastrophe, societies need to deconstruct their economies and radically rethink their purpose.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

  1. BP, 2018. BP Energy outlook. [pdf] Available at: <https://www.bp.com/content/dam/bp/en/corporate/pdf/energy-economics/energy-outlook/bp-energyoutlook-2018.pdf> [Accessed 1 August 2018].
  2. Crehan, K., 2016. Gramsci’s common sense: Inequality and its narratives. Durham NC: Duke University Press.
  3. Darwin Correspondence Project, Cambridge University, 2016 The evolution of a misquotation. [online] Available at: <https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/people/about-darwin/six-things-darwin-never-said/evolution-misquotation> [Accessed 1 August 2018].
  4. Degrowth.info. What is degrowth? [online] Available at: <https://www.degrowth.info/en/what-is-degrowth/> [Accessed 1 August 2018].
  5. Dunlop, I. and Spratt, D., 2017. Disaster alley. Climate change, conflict and risk. [pdf] Melbourne: Breakthrough -National Centre for Climate Restoration. Available at: <https://docs.wixstatic.com/ugd/148cb0_8c0b021047fe406dbfa2851ea131a146.pdf> [Accessed 1 August 2018].
  6. The Economist, 2013, Towards the end of poverty. The Economist, 1 June.
  7. Global Footprint Network [online] Available at: <https://www.footprintnetwork.org/our-work/ecological-footprint/> [Accessed 1 August 2018].
  8. Greengrowth Knowledge Platform [online] Available at: <http://www.greengrowthknowledge.org/> [Accessed 1 August 2018].
  9. Kanter, J., 2009. Scientist: Warming could cut population to 1 billion. The New York Times, 13 March.
  10. Keynes, J.M., 1930. Economic possibilities for our grandchildren. In J.M. Keynes, 1963. Essays in persuasion. New York: W. W. Norton & Co. pp. 358-373.
  11. Kho, J., 2014. Open thread: what does ‘sustainable’ mean to you? The Guardian [online] Available at: <https://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/sustainable-green-meaning-consumer-open-thread> [Accessed 1 August 2018].
  12. The Maddison Project, 2010. [online] Available at: <https://www.rug.nl/ggdc/historicaldevelopment/maddison/releases/maddison-database-2010> [Accessed 1 August 2018].
  13. Margaret Thatcher Foundation. Interview for Woman’s Own (“no such thing as society”) 23 September 1987 [online] Available at: <https://www.margaretthatcher.org/document/106689> [Accessed 1 August 2018].
  14. Maxton G. and Randers J., 2016. Reinventing prosperity – managing economic growth to reduce unemployment, inequality and climate change. Vancouver: Greystone Books.
  15. Meadows, D et al., 1972. The limits to growth: A report for the Club of Rome’s project on the predicament of mankind. New York: A Potomac Associates book.
  16. Michail, M. at al., 2014. How was life? Global well-being since 1820. Paris: OECD.
  17. Mill, J.S., 1869. On liberty. London: Longman, Roberts & Green.
  18. Monbiot, G., 2007, How the neoliberals stitched up the wealth of nations for themselves. The Guardian, 28 August.
  19. OECD. Youth unemployment rate. [online] Available at: <https://data.oecd.org/unemp/youth-unemployment-rate.htm> [Accessed 1 August 2018].
  20. Piketty, T, 2014. Capital in the twenty-first century. London: The Belknap Press of Harvard University Press.
  21. Rousseau, J.J., 1762. Social contract or principles of political right.
  22. Rigaud, K, at al. 2018. Groundswell : Preparing for internal climate migration. [pdf] World Bank. Available at: <http://hdl.handle.net/10986/29461> [Accessed 1 August 2018].
  23. World Bank, 2012. Turn down the heat: Why a 4°C warmer world must be avoided. [pdf] World Bank. Available at: <http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/865571468149107611/pdf/NonAsciiFileName0.pdf> [Accessed 1 August 2018].
  24. WWF, 2018. Living planet report. [pdf] WWF. Available at: <https://wwf.panda.org/knowledge_hub/all_publications/living_planet_report_2018/> [Accessed 1 August 2018].