Firstly I must state that this review is my interpretation, and that this book uses the prescribed language of economics . If you learnt your politics and economic understanding of how society works through the corporate media - lets face it many of us do - then this book will bowl you over. If like me you are not familiar with economic jargon it will be a challenge but everything is provided to facilitate your understanding. If you are university educated with a regulation neo-classical economics degree - as the authors are - you would no doubt be familiar with the authors and their considerable output, which includes the first edition of this book. One can understand how human society developed the present economic system with its initial focus on accounting and the appraisal of future investment and production, however this book maintains that the model has been stretched far beyond its theoretical capacities and practical applications; it enables the reader to see why.
The provision of goods and services and the context of fair trading have been divorced from `our economic reason for living' for a mad grab of money making from money itself, the mediaeval salamander eating its own tail as it were. Our religion has become what all religions warn us about; money, and it is the worst kind of religion because it has become an addiction; 'money addiction'. This book is a reference point for the student of the now peak oil, climate change and carbon depositing era. Much of the establishment will not welcome this book, not because of its embracing view, logic or research base but that it challenges their power and money base. However if we are going to provide a meaningful life for our species then we need to reassess how we plan and organise ourselves and the finite resources of our planet. Most of us like to live in pleasant abodes where we direct behaviors that optimise our special space, however this book mounts a compelling case for treating the whole planet as our abode. It points to the obvious really, to respect our humanity and our abode (planet) first. Then use the knowledge that we have accumulated over the ages to harness those values and provide ourselves with a worthwhile reason for living. And yes it can be done and you know what, it wont be humans who will decide, but our planet. Planet states: If you don't respect yourselves and me and stop using an economic system that causes enormous human misery, polluting my atmosphere, earth and water I cannot provide you with a nurturing space and produce the food you require to go on living.
I did miss that there is no introduction to the second edition, it seems the main difference (compared to the first edition) is a completely new chapter on human behavior, challenging and worth while and good reason to buy the new edition (if you have already read the first edition). Pity the publishers did not attend well enough to proof reading the new chapter, however don't let that stop you buying this essential book.
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Frank Thun
What is more Important for the future of mankind than connecting Economics to the Environment?
Reviewed in Germany on May 14, 2020
