Poverty and Progress: An Ecological Model of Economic Development

This book challenges the idea that economic development is the primary driver of change and demonstrates that the pursuit of progress is not the real driving force behind it. Instead, economic development is a response to the ecological pressures of population growth and scarce resources, leading to the industrialization of societies. The things we consider the fruits of progress are actually part of the struggle to keep up with the growing productive task created by ecological pressures, making primitive societies less poor and advanced ones less rich.

Format: Hardback
Length: 250 pages
Publication date: 01 July 2022
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

This remarkable book, originally published in 1973 and now reissued with a new preface, presents a groundbreaking challenge to our prevailing understanding of societal development. It reveals that the pursuit of progress is not the primary catalyst for change, as is commonly believed. Rather, economic development emerges as a means of escape for societies grappling with the ecological constraints of population growth and limited resources. The author elucidates the processes by which industrialization is imposed upon societies as land-based resources become increasingly scarce. The so-called fruits of human progress, such as advanced technology and labor-saving machinery, are merely components of the ongoing struggle to meet the growing productive demands imposed by ecological pressures.

In this revised perspective, primitive societies are perceived as less impoverished than commonly assumed, while advanced ones are revealed to be less wealthy than previously perceived. This shift in understanding invites us to reevaluate our assumptions about progress and wealth and to explore alternative approaches to societal development that prioritize ecological sustainability and human well-being.

The book's insights are particularly relevant in the contemporary context, as we face the urgent challenges of climate change, resource depletion, and population growth. By challenging the notion that economic development is the sole path to progress, the author offers a valuable alternative perspective that encourages us to consider more holistic and sustainable approaches to societal transformation.

Weight: 610g
Dimension: 216 x 138 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781032307039