BOOKCASE : Prosperity without Growth

• Tim Jackson
• Earthscan
• RRP $30

Despite attempts in New Zealand to evict “sustainability” from the public service lexicon, the rest of the world is moving on – and Tim Jackson provides both compelling rationale and workable mechanisms for the way forward.
It’s simple – the global economy can’t keep gobbling resources at current rates without irreparable damage to the planet that supports it all. And despite our best efforts, we haven’t found any other home in this big empty universe. So… we need to shift the mindset that growth equals prosperity, ease ourselves off the consumption gravy train and find economic models that deliver quality of life without planetary degradation and social inequity.
Too idealistic? Well – no.
Redefining “prosperity” is good start. Is it really six bathrooms per household in Florida versus bucket of dirty water carried several kilometres in Chad? Or is it more to do with health, happiness, family and fairness?
So – how about characterising prosperity (à la economist Amartya Sen) as “capabilities for flourishing” – within clearly defined limits? Why not ask what we really want our economy to deliver? Is the answer an ever-faster conveyor belt of novelty stuff? Or can we flourish in less materialistic way?
What about shared meaning and purpose, sense of belonging and security, access to an array of revitalised public goods (whether health and education or parks and recreation)? Okay – there are few hurdles.
For starters, our governing structures are just little locked into the dilemma of growth and its ability to deliver more jobs/more capital etc. Jackson explores how that might change – including taxes on pollution and financial transactions or renewed focus on community-based ecological enterprises. That doesn’t mean that we all have to dress in organic bamboo smocks and forswear novelty.
We have to reframe our preconceptions about both labour and capital productivities.
But without strong leadership, says Jackson, the transition from narrow self interest to social behaviours or from relentless novelty to considered conservation of the things that matter will be impossible. This is not doom and gloom but an “enormous and exciting challenge”.
Whether or not you agree, these are conversations all of us absolutely need to have and Jackson provides excellent fodder for them.