Ends, Means, and Policy

 In economic policy there are two constants, growth and development, and these constants have dictated economic decisions since the beginning of the human existence in some form or another. We as a society have developed the world, growing exponentially in the process, and all the while taking a consistently anthropocentric short-term view of the two constants, growth and development. So how can human society redevelop and restructure their economic decision making process to create a more sustainable economic policy that is structured around a biocentric paradigm. But before we can continue we must first define some key terms that are imperative to discussing the solutions towards creating economic ends, means, and policies that support long-term sustainable growth and development.

Entropic Dissipation: the gradual erosion and dispersion into the environment of the matter of which all human artifacts are composed in a one-way flow of low-entropy usefulness to high-entropy waste.

Determinism: The philosophical doctrine that every event or decision is the inevitable consequence of antecedents, such as physical, psychological, hereditary, or environmental conditions, that are independent of human will or purpose.

Steady-State Subsystem: The economy viewed as a subsystem in dynamic equilibrium with the parent ecosystem or biosphere that sustains it. Quantitative growth is replaced by qualitative development or improvement as the basic goal.

Economic Imperialism: The idea that the entire ecosystem can be priced and all values internalized into prices, with the result that price calculations are reliable guides for all decisions.

  Now that we have defined some key terms relating to creating more sustainable economic policies in regard to the environment, we can now begin to discuss the solutions to our current societal predicament. So when the steady-state subsystem discusses drawing the "boundary in the right place”, it is referring to setting the point of equilibrium at a certain level in relation to societies desires. These desires are set by logical demand and the society agrees to these parameters. How you would accomplish such a “radical” societal change is the real debate.

 To begin, a logical solution must be accepted, this means that the boundary is set through scientific and analytical conclusions regarding the consequences of our actions. Including the logical solutions -- which provide for zero biased information -- the society must also incorporate some philosophical thought towards the decision to set the boundary. The philosophical decisions must be met with considerable input, because the questions must ask for the hard answers regarding our future survival and the survival of the planet. After all this there should be a well-rounded and analytical boundary that has been developed to create a more sustainable policy.

 The data and information necessary for this conclusion would come from multiple sources. These sources include surveys which convey the wants of all individuals through questions that do not contain pitfalls. Another area where data would come from is from scientific studies relating to the consequences of our actions as a society, and creating conclusions that express the necessity of the creation of a steady-state subsystem boundary which will create a more sustainable and prosperous existence.

 With all the arguments regarding the solutions towards our current inefficient economic system we still come to the same conclusion regarding the two constants in economics, growth and development, but the argument to the solution is what is better, growth or development?

Thank you for your interest, please comment and subscribe.

Onward,

Hayden van Andel