Ferraris for All: In Defence of Economic Progress

by Daniel Ben-Ami

Overview

The growth of the economy and the spread of prosperity are increasingly seen as problematic rather than positive - a trend Daniel Ben-Ami has termed 'growth scepticism'. Prosperity is accused of encourage greed, damaging the environment, causing unhappiness and widening social inequalities.

Ferraris for all: A defence of economic progress is a rejoinder to the growth sceptics. Using examples from a range of countries, including the US, the author argues that society as a whole benefits from greater affluence.

Action is needed - but to increase abundance and spread it worldwide, not to limit prosperity, as the sceptics would have it.

The lively and provocative hardback edition was published to widespread coverage in 2010, and triggered debate and dissent in equal measure. 

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781847423450
Publisher:	Bristol University Press
Publication date:	05/01/2012
Edition description:	First Edition
Pages:	328
Product dimensions:	5.40(w) x 8.40(h) x 0.80(d)

About the Author

Daniel Ben-Ami has worked as a journalist specialising in economics and finance for 25 years, during which he has contributed to many national newspapers and specialist publications.

In addition to having written for specialist magazines he has contributed to the Financial Times, Guardian, Independent, Prospect, spiked, the Sunday Telegraph, the Sunday Times and was previously editor of Fund Strategy magazine. He has also had numerous media engagements on the BBC and elsewhere. In the US he has appeared as a guest on the Al Franken Show on Air America Radio and his work has featured in Reason magazine online.

Daniel has covered the rise of growth scepticism for several years. He has written widely on the subject, including articles for spiked-online (some of which have featured on <http://www.aldaily.com/>, with extracts appearing in the New York Times and www.reason.com <http://www.reason.com>). He has been a speaker at many events including the New York Salon, the Battle of Ideas festival, and the Royal Society for the Encouragement of the Arts.

His previous book - Cowardly Capitalism (Wiley 2001) - examined the global financial markets. It was widely reviewed including, the Financial Times, the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (Frankfurt) and the Independent and endorsed by Business Week. It was recommended student reading for Harvard Business School.

Since this book was published in hardback, he has been invited to take part in many debates and panels in the UK and internationally to present his arguments. His website and blog can be found at www.danielbenami.com <http://www.danielbenami.com>.

Table of Contents

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

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

"Growth is one of the great issues of our time. Its benefits are manifest and anybody arguing against it will have to take on Ben-Ami's core opinions." Bryan Appleyard, Sunday Times

"..an attractively readable, succinct and closely-argued optimistic exposition." Society of Business Economists

"The global financial crisis has produced a fresh outpouring of growth scepticism: the idea that we would all be better off in a world without economic growth. Daniel Ben-Ami has provided a timely and thought-provoking reminder of why we need growth and the benefits that it brings." David Smith, Economics Editor, The Sunday Times "Daniel Ben-Ami is an important voice for reason and fact in our current economic debates. His book is a probing contribution to understanding the decisive way that economic growth helps everyone everywhere on the social ladder. Ben-Ami's style is incisive and entertaining, his argument crucial to understanding our present economic plight." Denis Dutton, Editor, Arts & Letters Daily

Editorial Reviews

"Ben-Ami’s thinking and writing is spotlessly clear but unbendingly hard.......he makes a formidable, controversial case." GetAbstract

"A good-humoured and spirited case for continued economic growth." Financial Times

"Mighty controversial, yet sublimely convincing. If you seek a fresh take on an argument that has been with us for a while, then it is well worth your own while to pick this book up." Gaurav Sharma, review on amazon.co.uk

"..an attractively readable, succinct and closely-argued optimistic exposition." Society of Business Economists

"Growth is one of the great issues of our time. Its benefits are manifest and anybody arguing against it will have to take on Ben-Ami's core opinions." Bryan Appleyard, Sunday Times

"The global financial crisis has produced a fresh outpouring of growth scepticism: the idea that we would all be better off in a world without economic growth. Daniel Ben-Ami has provided a timely and thought-provoking reminder of why we need growth and the benefits that it brings." David Smith, Economics Editor, The Sunday Times

"Daniel Ben-Ami is an important voice for reason and fact in our current economic debates. His book is a probing contribution to understanding the decisive way that economic growth helps everyone everywhere on the social ladder. Ben-Ami's style is incisive and entertaining, his argument crucial to understanding our present economic plight." Denis Dutton, Editor, Arts & Letters Daily

From the Publisher