Now Available - The Progress Illusion: Reclaiming Our Future from the Fairytale of Economics

Erickson charts the rise of the dominant economic worldview and argues for a new economics that fosters a healthy relationship between people and the planet.

WASHINGTON, DC, UNITED STATES, January 31, 2023 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The fairytale of economics promises that growth always leads to prosperity, an illusion of progress in a world of supposedly endless resources. But in the reality of happily never after, resources are drained, ecosystems are collapsing, wealth is concentrated, and progress for some leads to misery for all. As the consequences of this approach become clear, can a socially-just and ecologically-balanced economy emerge?

In "The Progress Illusion: Reclaiming Our Future from the Fairytale of Economics" (Publication Date: December 1, 2022), ecological economist Jon D. Erickson charts the rise of the dominant economic worldview and argues for an economics with an entirely new purpose: fostering a healthy, balanced relationship between people and planet.

Drawing on his own experience as a young economist indoctrinated in the 1980s era of “greed is good,” Erickson reveals how over-consumption and abstract ideas came to dominate economic thought. He pokes holes in the conventional wisdom of neoclassical economics, illustrating how flawed theories about financial decision-making and maximizing efficiency ignore human psychology and morality. Critically, he demonstrates how this economic thinking shaped U.S. politics, public policy, and colonial culture.

From the birth of neoclassical economics in 19th century France to the Bretton Woods agreement, Erickson details the creation of a system that concentrates wealth in the hands of a few while depleting the commons from which all life and economies are built. But he also chronicles the growing disillusionment with an economics of exploitation that is driving a reformation of the dismal science in classrooms, communities, and culture. Gaining ground in both academia and social activism, this new economics demands that resilience, cooperation, and stewardship take precedence over consumption, competition, and greed.

For too long, economics has ignored the reality of life on a finite planet. Colonialism, industrialization, and consumerism have exacted a heavy toll, devasting people, communities, and ecosystems. With "The Progress Illusion", Erickson exposes the myth of endless growth and offers a new brand of economics that supports enduring prosperity.

Jon D. Erickson is the Blittersdorf Professor of Sustainability Science and Policy at the University of Vermont, faculty member of the Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources, and Fellow of the Gund Institute for Environment. His previous co-authored and edited books include "Sustainable Wellbeing Futures", "The Great Experiment in Conservation", "Ecological Economics of Sustainable Watershed Management", "Frontiers in Ecological Economic Theory and Application", and "Ecological Economics: A Workbook for Problem-Based Learning".

Media copies are available, email press @islandpress.org.

"The Progress Illusion: Reclaiming Our Future from the Fairytale of Economics"
Island Press Paperback | Publication Date: December 1, 2022
272 pages | 6x9 | Price: $32.00
ISBN: 9781642832525
Book Page: https://islandpress.org/books/progress-illusion

Founded in 1984, Island Press works to stimulate, shape, and communicate the information that is essential for solving environmental problems. Today, with more than 1,000 titles in print and some 30 new releases each year, it is the nation’s leading publisher of books on environmental issues. Island Press is driving change by moving ideas from the printed page to public discourse and practice. Island Press’s emphasis is, and will continue to be, on transforming objective information into understanding and action. For more information and further updates be sure to visit www.islandpress.org.
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Jaime Jennings
Island Press
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