I thank Jeff for putting the issue that puzzles me in clear perspective. Even if we can somehow persuade politicians to stop promoting growth, how do we get all those eager entrepreneurs to follow? Are people like Gates and Jobs going to be content in the future to putter around in their garages all their lives? Will the western world renounce capitalism? The history of human societies has been one of boom and bust cycles, and I just don't see how the idea of zero growth is going to catch on. There are just too many ambitious people in this world.
Bill Silvert ----- Original Message ----- From: "Jeff Houlahan" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Tuesday, April 03, 2007 2:55 PM Subject: Re: Equilibrium/Steady State and Complexity/Evolution > Ashwani and all, I think the critical point that Brian and Herman and > others like them make is that, while it may be difficult to manage an > economy to achieve steady-state, it is almost certainly impossible to do > when the reigning paradigm is that growth is good. When every policy or > economic decision is aimed at growing the GNP/GDP it is very unlikely that > we will achieve a steady state. I think to suggest that steady-state > economy implies 'staying put' creates a straw man - yes, as individuals, > communities, a species we are inevitably going to change over time. > Steady state implies (I believe, in the context we are talking here) > zero-growth. That doesn't mean 'no change'. Best. > > Jeff Houlahan
