SITE UNDER CONSTRUCTION
ECONOCLAST
Herman Daly and the Gospel of Growth
Herman Daly, often called the father of ecological economics, believed that eternal economic growth is not possible on a finite planet. He argued that the economy is a subsystem of the Earth's biosphere, and that growth becomes "uneconomic" when it produces and social costs that outweigh its benefits.
He incorporated ethics, the environment, and community into economic models. His influential anthology Toward a Steady-State Economy remains much heralded, highly influential, and supremely relevant to this day.
Perhaps the most sacred tenet in the field of economics is that growth is good. Indeed, the value of limitless economic growth has almost become a religion. Yet, Daly would often ask: What if it's a false gospel? What if it is impossible in a world of limited resources? What if growth beyond a point fails to deliver the increases in life satisfaction that it promises? What if it actually begins making things worse?
He was the recipient of numerous global awards and accolades, including the Honorary Right Livelihood Award, the Blue Planet Prize (Japan), the Heineken Prize for Environmental Science from the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, the Sophie Prize (Norway), the Leontief Prize from the Global Development and Environment Institute, and was chosen as Man of the Year 2008 by Adbusters magazine.
He is well known for his work as a senior economist at the World Bank. He also taught at Louisiana State University and the University of Maryland.
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The team behind ECONOCLAST includes award-winning filmmakers, producers, and historians with decades of experience in PBS documentaries and impactful storytelling. Together, they bring unmatched expertise and a deep commitment to honoring Katharine Lee Bates’ legacy.
“The economy is a wholly owned subsidiary of the environment, not the reverse.” - Herman Daly
— Herman Daly
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