The New Economics

Economics sometimes seems to be stacked against social, environmental and individual well-being. But it doesn't have to be like this. A new approach to economics - deriving as much from Ruskin and Schumacher as from Keynes or Smith - has begun to emerge. Skeptical about money as a measure of success, this new economics turns our assumptions about wealth and poverty upside down. It shows us that real wealth can be measured by increased well-being and environmental sustainability rather than just having and consuming more things.This book is the first accessible and straightforward guide to the new economics. It describes the problems and bizarre contradictions in conventional economics as well as the principles of the emerging new economics, and it tells the real-world stories of how new economics is being successfully put into practice around the world. An essential guide to understanding new economics for all those who care about making economics work for people and planet.

1. The Economic Problem2. No Wealth but Life: A Brief History of the New Economics3. Measurement: Why is an Apparently Poor Pacific Island at the Top of the Happy Planet Index?4. Money: Why did China Pay for the Iraq War?5. Markets: Why has London Traffic Always Travelled at 12mph?6. Life: Why do Modern Britons Work Harder than Medieval Peasants?7. Resources: Why are Cuban Mechanics the Best in the World?8. Trade: Why Does Britain Import the Same Number of Chocolate Waffles as it Exports?9. Community: Why do Fewer People Vote when there is a Wal-Mart Nearby?10. Debt: Why are Malawi Villagers Paying the Mortgages of Surbiton Stockbrokers?11. The FutureAppendix A: From the Ashes of the Crash: 20 First Steps from New Economics to Rebuild a Better EconomyAppendix B: New Economic Tools and Techniques