Prosperity Without Growth
Prosperity Without Growth (2009) is a book by author and economist Tim Jackson. It was originally released as a report by the Sustainable Development Commission (SDC).[1] The study rapidly became the most downloaded report in the Commission's nine-year history when it was launched earlier in 2009. The report was later that year fully revised and published by Earthscan.
By arguing that "prosperity – in any meaningful sense of the word – transcends material concerns",[2] the book summarizes the evidence showing that, beyond a certain point, growth does not increase human well-being. Prosperity without Growth analyses the complex relationships between growth, environmental crises and social recession. It proposes a route to a sustainable economy, and argues for a redefinition of "prosperity" in light of the evidence on what really contributes to people’s well-being.[3] "The clearest message from the financial crisis of 2008 is that that our current model of economic success is fundamentally flawed. For the advanced economies of the Western world, prosperity without growth is no longer a utopian dream. It is a financial and ecological necessity."[4]
The book was described by Le Monde as "one of the most outstanding pieces of environmental economics literature in recent years"[5] and the sociologist Anthony Giddens referred to it as "a must-read for anyone concerned with issues of climate change and sustainability - bold, original and comprehensive."
Prosperity without Growth has been translated into 14 languages including Swedish [Välfärd utan tillväxt: så skapar vi ett hållbart samhälle, 2011], German [Wohlstand ohne Wachstum, 2011], French [Prospérité sans croissance, 2010], Greek [Ευημερία χωρίς ανάπτυξη, 2012], Spanish [Prosperidad sin crecimiento, 2011], Italian [Prosperità senza crescita, 2011], Dutch [Welvaart zonder groei, 2010] and Chinese.
References
- ↑ Prosperity without Growth? The transition to a sustainable economy | Report for the SDC March 2009
- ↑ Has Western capitalism failed? Tim Jackson for BBC 22 September 2011 | last visited: 25 May 2012
- ↑ Prosperity without Growth? - The transition to a sustainable economy Report for the SDC 03.2011 | last visited: 25 May 2012
- ↑ Prosperity without Growth? Report | Summary | last visited: 25 May 2012
- ↑ Routledge Website for Prosperity without growth
External links
- Review on Guardian.co.uk | January 2010
- Routledge Website for Prosperity Without Growth
- Biography of Tim Jackson | Sustainable Lifestyles Research Group [SLRG]
- Tim Jackson's Media Archive | SLRG