Open AccessEnvironment, poverty and the steady state economy
Author(s) -
Theodore P. Lianos
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
the journal of population and sustainability
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2398-5496
pISSN - 2398-5488
DOI - 10.3197/jps.2019.3.2.55
Subject(s) - consumption (sociology) , poverty , economics , balance (ability) , argument (complex analysis) , population , production (economics) , distribution (mathematics) , inequality , natural resource , balance of nature , income distribution , state (computer science) , constant (computer programming) , economy , natural resource economics , economic system , microeconomics , economic growth , ecology , sociology , mathematics , computer science , medicine , mathematical analysis , social science , biochemistry , chemistry , demography , algorithm , programming language , physical medicine and rehabilitation , biology
Environmental degradation and inequality of income and wealth are two major global problems at the present time. This paper suggests that a steady state economy offers solutions for both problems. It argues that if the world population is drastically reduced and remains constant at a low level ecological balance can be achieved and, at the same time, income distribution will be greatly improved. The basis of this argument is that a smaller population will reduce the use of natural resources for production and consumption and at the same time reduce the supply of labor and thus increase wages. Also, a brief review of the idea of the steady state economy from the ancient philosophers to modern writers is provided.