I
have just finished ‘How much is Enough?’ by Robert and Edward Skidelsky
which I found a very thought provoking read. It begins by considering
how we got to the current state of ever increasing growth and
consumption via a look at economic history, in particular the classic
economic theory of Keynes and the philosophy of Aristotle. Keynes
thought that increasing production and national wealth would lead to
lower work hours and more leisure for citizens. This has not happened in
the rush for increasing growth, and so the Sidelskys wonder why, where
is all this increasing wealth going and what is it all for.
They
consider happiness is too fleeting and subjective a concept to aim for,
but the meeting of certain basic goods would lead to a ‘good life’ which
all citizens could enjoy. They identify the 7 basic goods to be Health,
Security, Respect, Personality, Harmony with Nature, Friendship and
Leisure. Once these basic goods are met the suggestion is that most
citizens would experience a happy and fulfilled life, a good life,
without endlessly being encouraged to want more.
As the Sidelskys
unpick the elements of each basic good, I found that this made a lot of
sense, and although they have some challenging things to say about
environmentalism and the provision of a basic income for all, it did
make me think. It is also an optimistic glimpse of how things could be,
if we citizens wanted it enough to ignore the calls of the advertisers,
big companies, and the politicians in thrall to continuing national
growth at all costs. So I would certainly recommend this book, it should
be on the Green Readers list to read, and some of our group have
certainly read it.
Maggie - yes, this sounds like a "must read". It just happens that I have been re-reading an old (2009) classic - Tim Jackson's 'Prosperity without growth?' I have written a bit about it on my own blog here:- http://johnmedwaysenergydescent.blogspot.co.uk/2014/01/i-have-just-re-read-prosperity-without.html#more
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