The Steady State Revolution

1. The Steady State Revolution For National Security and International Stability

2. “Yes” Physiocrats Classical economists Ecological economists Ecologists “No” Neoclassical economists Corporations Politicians The Great Debate: Is There a Limit?

3. $ $ = $ $

4. The “Information Economy” Red Herring Alert!!! • What is the information used for? • How does one come to afford the information?

5. And yet we hear: “Some people just don’t get it. There is no conflict between economic growth and environmental protection!” Why do they persist?

6. Iron Triangle

7. Iron Triangle Political Faction Professional Society Policy Table Special Interest

8. Iron Triangle Politicians Neoclassical Economists Economic Policy Table Corporations

9. What can we do?

10. Steady State Revolution!

11. Goals Replace national goal of “economic growth” with national goal of steady state economy. Replace bloating economy with steady state economy.

12. Magnitude of change Pace of change “When evolution won’t cut it” Evolution combined with revolt Revolutions

13. Steady State Revolution • Academic, social • Peaceable, not pacifistic • Models • abolition of child labor • reduction of smoking

14. Academic Phase • Replacement of neoclassical economic growth theory • Refocusing of curricula • More public outreach

15. Social Phase • “Economic growth” reconstructed as economic bloating • Dollar spent is dollar burned • Castigation of the liquidating class

16. Class Structure of the Steady State Revolution •  Liquidating class • Steady state class • Amorphic class

17. Consumption Classes Expenditures Percentile: 80 99 100

18. Consumption Classes Liquidating Class Expenditures Percentile: 80 99 100

19. Consumption Classes Liquidating Class Expenditures Steady State Class Percentile: 80 99 100

20. Consumption Classes Liquidating Class Expenditures Amorphic Class Steady State Class Percentile: 80 99 100

21. Liquidators Amorphs Steady Staters

22. Population Liquidating Class Amorphic Class Steady State Class

23. Consumption Liquidating Class Amorphic Class Steady State Class

24. Economic Rationale • “Trickle-down consumption” • Redistribution of wealth compensates for reduced per capita consumption • Reduction of waste • Leads toward steady state economy

25. Consumption Liquidators Ecological Capacity Amorphs Most Steady Staters PovertyLine Some Steady Staters

26. Trickle-down Consumption Liquidators Ecological Capacity Amorphs Liquidators Amorphs Steady Staters Most Steady Staters PovertyLine Some Steady Staters

27. Political Rationale • No “everyone revolt against everybody” • Taps into predisposition • Readily identifiable classes

28. Psychological Rationale • Darwin, Veblen, Maslow • Cure for “liquidator syndrome” • Ratcheting effect toward sustainable ideology

29. Maslow’s Hierarchy • Food • Security • Love, affection, reproduction • Self-esteem • Self-actualization

30. Sociopolitical Rationale • Ideological horse before the public policy cart • Supplementary to policy prescriptions • Replaces politicians, not system

31. Ethics I • Equity (current, intergenerational) • Consistent with religions: Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Islamic, Judaic • “Devil in the details” of castigation • Tolerance overrated

32. Ethics II • “Why do they hate Americans?” • It’s the economy, stupid! • Conspicuous consumption not everything, but major thing • SSR beats violent alternatives • “Speaking truth to power”

33. K The End GDP Time