The Return of Scarcity Strategies for an Economic Future [Paperback]

The essays in this 1990 book link widely shared environmental concerns to an original and penetrating analysis of contemporary economic trends.The distinguished Australian economist's essays on resource use, allocation, and the environment challenge current policy maker assumptions by arguing for an economic system to better serve social responsibilities.The distinguished Australian economist's essays on resource use, allocation, and the environment challenge current policy maker assumptions by arguing for an economic system to better serve social responsibilities.In recent years the distinguished Australian economist, Dr. H.C. Nugget Coombs has worked, spoken and written on the related areas of resource use, resource allocation and the environment. His papers and essays are brought together here to form a lively challenge to many current assumptions of policy makers. A new chapter, written especially for this volume, looks forward to the challenge in policies and needs in the 1990s. In particular the essays draw attention to the changing role of governments, under pressure to conserve resources but also to exploit and develop them to satisfy consumption. Dr. Coombs argues a case for the economic system to serve social responsibilities more justly1. Towards a sustainable society; 2. Scarcity, wealth and income; 3. Matching ecological and economic realities; 4. Science and technology - for what purpose?; 5. Economic and ecological issues in resource management; 6. Resource management and environmental law; 7. The quality of life and it's assessment; 8. Is democracy alive and well?; 9. Technology, economic change and political strategy.