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The growth of the economy and the spread of prosperity are increasingly seen as problematic rather than positive. They are accused of encouraging greed, damaging the environment, causing unhappiness and widening social inequalities. The mainstream acceptance of these views is a trend Daniel Ben-Ami has termed 'growth scepticism'.Ferraris for all is a rejoinder to the growth sceptics. Using examples from a range of countries, the author argues that society as a whole benefits from greater affluence. Action is needed - not to limit prosperity, but to encourage creativity and growth in resolving the problems of poverty, inequality and the environment, to increase abundance and to spread it worldwide.Lively and provocative, this timely book will trigger debate and dissent in equal measure."An exceptional and much needed book." Angus Kennedy, Culture Wars
List of figures, tables and boxes iv
List of abbreviations vi
Acknowledgements viii
Preface x
Preface to the paperback edition xiii
A note about the title xvii
1 Introduction 1
Part 1 The rise of growth scepticism
twotPolar opposites: supporters and opponents of growth 17
3 An indirect attack: the many forms of scepticism 31
4 Mainstream and elitist: the character of sceptic ideology 59
5 Narrowing horizons: why scepticism triumphed 73
Part 2 Counter-arguments
6 Better than ever: growth benefits humanity 95
7 Environment: subjugate nature 123
8 Happiness: conservatism in disguise 163
9 Inequality: development not restraint 191
10 New egalitarianism: redistributing pain 231
11 Conclusion: abundance for all 253
Bibliography 259
Index 299
If you've ever felt guilty about the accoutrements of life in the developed world - plentiful cars, abundant food, cheap energy - economics and finance journalist Daniel Ben-Ami says to stop. He contends that society's elites are afflicted with wrongheaded ideas about how to improve the world. He argues that underprivileged countries desperately need capitalist growth to improve their people's lives, and that developed nations should try to help them boom, not weigh them down with self-denial programs. Ben-Ami's thinking and writing is spotlessly clear but unbendingly hard, and every once in a while he wanders off the path of logic. Nonetheless, he makes a formidable, controversial case. getAbstract suggests his book to corporate managers working on global outreach, economists, and big thinkers who want to ensure the invisible hand is outstretched for a leg up, not a slap in the face.
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Overview
The growth of the economy and the spread of prosperity are increasingly seen as problematic rather than positive. They are accused of encouraging greed, damaging the environment, causing unhappiness and widening social inequalities. The mainstream acceptance of these views is a trend Daniel Ben-Ami has termed 'growth scepticism'.Ferraris for all is a rejoinder to the growth sceptics. Using examples from a range of countries, the author argues that society as a whole benefits from greater affluence. Action is ...