Tag Archives: Economics

The Storm Before the Calm

Posted on May 10, 2020 by Harry Katz

The Storm Before the Calm By George Friedman Penguin Random House, New York, 2020 I can’t decide whether George Friedman is a genius or a crackpot. Friedman has made a career of geopolitical forecasting.  He’s founded a couple of consulting … Continue reading →

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Doughnut Economics

Posted on February 23, 2020 by Harry Katz

How do we shift our economy from a focus on never-ending GDP growth to living within the “Doughnut?” Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Environment | Tagged , , , , , , | 5 Comments

No growth, slow growth or green growth?

Posted on February 7, 2020 by Harry Katz

In the February 10, 2020 issue of The New Yorker magazine, journalist John Cassidy has a very interesting article called Can we have prosperity without growth?  (In the print version, the article is titled “Steady State.”) Cassidy surveys a wide spectrum of … Continue reading →

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The Case for Growth: An Interview with Marc Andreessen

Posted on January 31, 2020 by Harry Katz

In my last few posts I’ve been looking into the relationship between economic growth and environmental sustainability. Can we find a healthy balance between them?  Or are they fundamentally at odds? Well a couple of weeks ago I was listening … Continue reading →

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A Safe and Just Doughnut

Posted on January 20, 2020 by Harry Katz

Today’s post is about the doughnut.  I’m not talking about an ordinary sugar-glazed, jam-filled, deep-fried doughnut.  No, this is a safe and just doughnut we can all live in together. If safe and just aren’t the flavors you normally look … Continue reading →

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Is Decoupling GDP Growth from Environmental Impact Possible?

Posted on January 12, 2020 by Harry Katz

Can we have economic growth while reducing our impact on the environment? Some people believe growth is incompatible with sustainability and that we need to move to a “no growth” or even a “de-growth” economy. Others think we can still … Continue reading →

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Machine, Platform, Crowd

Posted on October 26, 2017 by Harry Katz

Machine, Platform, Crowd: Harnessing Our Digital FutureBy Andrew McAfee and Erik BrynjolfssonW. W. Norton & Co., New York, 2017 Machine, Platform, Crowd is an update to Andrew McAfee and Erik Brynjolfsson’s fabulous 2014 book, The Second Machine Age. (My review … Continue reading →

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Book Review: The Second Machine Age

Posted on March 14, 2014 by Harry Katz

The Second Machine Age By Erik Brynjolfsson and Andrew McAfee W. W. Norton & Company, New York, 2014 The steam engine was the iconic invention and the driving force behind the first machine age. It transformed the world by enabling … Continue reading →

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Book Review: Stealth of Nations

Posted on November 11, 2012 by Harry Katz

Stealth of Nations: The Global Rise of the Informal Economy By Robert Neuwirth Anchor Books, New York, 2011 Stealth of Nations is about the “informal” economy – the underground, unregistered, unlicensed, untaxed and often unlawful economy.  Author Robert Neuwirth calls … Continue reading →

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