Customer Reviews

Growth Fetish

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Trained in economics and politics, Dr Clive Hamilton is Executive Director of The Australia Institute, an independent Australian public interest think tank. For the first time his book clearly analyses the current world-wide fetish for mistakenly equating economic growth with improvement in wellbeing and outlines his illuminating view of the "post-growth society". For instance, he states:- "The transition to a post-growth society will be just as far-reaching as the transition from feudalism to industrial capitalism or from industrial capitalism to consumer capitalism. It will fundamentally transform power relationships, social institutions, our relationships with others, our ethical rules, our attitudes to the natural environment and, ultimately, our consciousness."

This book demonstrates integrative thinking of a high order and is a welcome change from the plethora of writing that is full of critical thinking about world affairs but does little to suggest a way forward for the growing number of people who feel there is more to life than increased consumption.

I believe it is a "must read" for thinkers in all fields everywhere.

Extraordinarily insightful - significant and urgent. As a 'civilised' society we must dampen the motivation of self interest and greed at the expense of all else (relationships, environment and happiness). This book describes in detail the roots of our unhappiness 'the prisoners of plenty' and seeks to describe a way forward. It will capture your imagination and stir you to reassess your definition of success.

Easily the most signifcant book I have read and cannot recommend it highly enough.

Enjoy and hopefully our 'advanced' human race can evolve to a society that promotes and supports the full realisation of human potential for all.

Clive Hamilton in Growth Fetish is fermenting a philosophy of a new life. The model of democratic capitalism focusing on economic growth has created a society that thrives on gaining an identity from what they purchase, big house, fancy car, etc, rather than from what they produce. The Third Way advocated looks at the failure of the capitalist market model and is suggestive of what goods and services are more public provision. It is good reading for society to look at what has gone wrong with the fetish mentality based solely on "money" and identity derived from "possessions", perhaps the base of the greed mentality. Reading this book will also make people more environmentally friendly. Once you start reading the book, you can't put it down, it takes hold of you.

If you are wondering where infinite GDP growth is taking us then you should read this book.

If you are wondering what infinite consumption is doing to us as a race then you should read this book.

If you are wondering why the choice has gone out of politics as every party tries to seize the middle ground then you should read this book.

If you are wondering why GDP seems to grow but your life doesn't get better then you should read this book.

If you've ever wondered why we need thousands of hair care products which differ only in how they are marketed, you should read this book.

Basically, you should read this book. Someone ran off with my copy, but I'll buy another. It really is that good. You'll find yourself picking it up again and again, and like Shakespeare you'll take something different away from it every time.

Clive Hamiltons sequel to Growth Fetish, "Affluenza", is rich with statistics on the state of Australian debt, spending habits and attitudes. Based on a great deal of research by the Australian Institute and others, perhaps in response to the more rhetorical basis of his last book. And those stats are truly shocking: the majority of Australians are sacrificing rich, fulfilling lives for overworked ones so they can live like the rich.

If you've read Growth Fetish you know the questions, in Affluenza you get some of the answers: downshifting, voluntary simplicity and re-engagment with community.

A book against globalization, but not a run of the mill one. Hamilton deftly connects the counterculture of the 60s and the 70s with the resurgent capitalism of today. He says (and I'm quoting from the spanish translation): "The counterculture was never a rebellion against capitalism, but against social conservatism, which impeded the advance of capitalism". I don't share all his views and proposals, but he is an intelligent person that realizes how the exarcerbated individualism brought forward by the counterculture paved the way for the arrival of today's turbocapitalism. Hamilton correctly sees the problem of the west today as not one of poverty but one of abundance, which has left the place spiritually void. One think I would have like to have Hamilton discuss is how his proposal for zero economic growth would affect the third world, whose livelihood depends in many cases on commodities sold to the west.

I think the basic premise of the book is credible: there is something definitely fishy with our current statistical growth mania and neoliberal political blindness, both from a sustainability and from a conceptual point of view.
My disappointment is in the way it is worked out: the book does not carry proofs, statistical data etc. but mainly rethoric, some of it of the old Marxist flavor( last time I read that stuff was over 25 years ago, it has not become better with age ).
The weakest part regards the future of work and the alternatives, plainly utopian without again any substantiation.
This book will not convince anybody but the already convinced:

Wonderful! It's great to know I am not alone in my view of the error in direction of current western economics. As a layman and non acidemic, I found it very easy to read and understand. If only more people would!Books by Clive Hamilton (Study Guide): Growth Fetish