Gross Domestic Problem: The Politics Behind the World's Most Powerful NumberGross domestic product is arguably the best-known statistic in the contemporary world, and certainly amongst the most powerful. It drives government policy and sets priorities in a variety of vital social fields - from schooling to healthcare. Yet for perhaps the first time since it was invented in the 1930s, this popular icon of economic growth has come to be regarded by a wide range of people as a 'problem'. After all, does our quality of life really improve when our economy grows 2 or 3 per cent? Can we continue to sacrifice the environment to safeguard a vision of the world based on the illusion of infinite economic growth? Lorenzo Fioramonti takes apart the 'content' of GDP - what it measures, what it doesn't and why - and reveals the powerful political interests that have allowed it to dominate today's economies. In doing so, he demonstrates just how little relevance GDP has to moral principles such as equity, social justice and redistribution, and shows that an alternative is possible, as evinced by the 'de-growth' movement and initiatives such as transition towns. A startling insight into the politics of a number that has come to dominate our everyday lives. |
Contents
1 | |
from crisis to crisis | 17 |
Chapter 2 The Frankenstein syndrome | 50 |
Chapter 3 The global quest to dethrone GDP | 82 |
Chapter 4 Change from below | 119 |
Other editions - View all
Gross Domestic Problem: The Politics Behind the World's Most Powerful Number Lorenzo Fioramonti No preview available - 2013 |
Gross Domestic Problem: The Politics Behind the World's Most Powerful Number Lorenzo Fioramonti No preview available - 2013 |
Common terms and phrases
Abramovitz accessed 15 July According alternative currencies American analysis approach argued assessment assets become Bhutan Bureau of Economic calculations cent citizens civil society climate change consumers consumption costs countries country’s crisis critical debate degrowth Department of Commerce depletion E.F. Schumacher ecological ecological footprint economic growth economic performance economists ecosystems energy environmental estimates European GDP accounts GDP growth global Green GDP Gross National Happiness Growth Obsolete happiness Happy Planet Index household Ibid impact Index indicators industrial institutions investment Kuznets labour Limits to Growth macroeconomic measure of economic measure well-being methodology military Moreover movement national accounts national income natural capital natural resources Nordhaus and Tobin OECD official output permaculture policymakers political pollution president progress projects Research rethinking sector Simon Kuznets Soviet statistical sustainability tion transition initiatives wealth welfare well-being World Bank York