Premium
THE SOCIOLOGY OF THE GROWTH/NO‐GROWTH DEBATE *
Author(s) -
Humphrey Craig R.,
Buttel Frederick H.
Publication year - 1980
Publication title -
policy studies journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.773
H-Index - 69
eISSN - 1541-0072
pISSN - 0190-292X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1541-0072.1980.tb00943.x
Subject(s) - state (computer science) , economics , environmental policy , neoclassical economics , positive economics , sociology , political science , economic system , environmental resource management , algorithm , computer science
This theoretical analysis focuses on the properties of conservative, liberal, and radical paradigms in social science and their application to the growth/no‐growth debate in environmental policy literature. We find conservatives working with an evolutionary model of society which suggests that environmental problems are imperfections to be remedied by science, technology, and the free market. Liberals recognize the benefits and costs of growth, and they articulate ways to minimize the costs through state regulation and planning. Radicals argue for state ownership of the means of production and new cultural values about growth as the only effective environmental policies. This analysis closes with a discussion of the future of the growth debate in terms of these paradigms.