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sssnoo 's review for:
Well....I gave this book 4 stars not so much because I was enthralled with it, but because it was 1) an accessible book on economics for a VERY non-economist, and 2) because it posed a provocative premise that both answered a question I have been pondering for years and to which I could never get a saisfactory answer. Also, I read this book because it was this round’s pick for one of my book clubs. I admit, I groaned when this book was chosen but I am glad I read it.
What is the premise? That everending gowth is not possible or even desirable - growth as in GDP. The author covers most (I think) establiched economic theories and pokes good and large holes in them. As a scientist I know that there is an optimum peak size for everything. Growth may be exponential getting to that size, but too big is not good. And growth cannot continue indefinately. I always wondered why this wasn’t so with economic systems and now I do not feel so alone. I had some disagreements with the author’s chapter on distributive models, especially around land. She overly simplified and cherry picked her examples and did not address the historic and horrific failuers in this area. I was more or less in agreement, or intrigued by many of the suggestions made by the author - many of them should be discussed and studied and implemented. I don’t fault her for having inconsistencies, or not thinking of every issue with her ideas. Rather I applaud her for starting the discussion - or carrying it on from other rare economists who shared some of her ideas (or fed into her ideas). Bottom line? Our current economic premises are not sustainable and dependent on diminishing reseources. So we better start thinking about new models - drastically new. For these reasons I recommend people read the book - and broaden the discussion.
What is the premise? That everending gowth is not possible or even desirable - growth as in GDP. The author covers most (I think) establiched economic theories and pokes good and large holes in them. As a scientist I know that there is an optimum peak size for everything. Growth may be exponential getting to that size, but too big is not good. And growth cannot continue indefinately. I always wondered why this wasn’t so with economic systems and now I do not feel so alone. I had some disagreements with the author’s chapter on distributive models, especially around land. She overly simplified and cherry picked her examples and did not address the historic and horrific failuers in this area. I was more or less in agreement, or intrigued by many of the suggestions made by the author - many of them should be discussed and studied and implemented. I don’t fault her for having inconsistencies, or not thinking of every issue with her ideas. Rather I applaud her for starting the discussion - or carrying it on from other rare economists who shared some of her ideas (or fed into her ideas). Bottom line? Our current economic premises are not sustainable and dependent on diminishing reseources. So we better start thinking about new models - drastically new. For these reasons I recommend people read the book - and broaden the discussion.