Search results

Front cover; Economic Controversies; About the author; Title; Copyright; Contents; Acknowledgements; INTRODUCTION The politics of statistics; 1 The power of numbers; Numbers and politics; Trust in numbers; Numbers, markets and democracy; 2 New global rulers: the untameable power of credit rating; Credit rating agencies: from market analysts to oligopolists; Behind the numbers: a shady business; The politics of ratings and the global financial crisis; Ratings and irrationality; 3 Fiddling while the planet burns: the marketization of climate change.

"GDP is much more than a simple statistic. It has become the overarching benchmark of success and a powerful ordering principle at the heart of the global economy. But the convergence of major economic, social and environmental crises has exposed the flaws of our economic system which values GDP above all else as a measure of prosperity and growth. In this provocative and inspiring new book, political economist Lorenzo Fioramonti sets out his vision of a world after GDP. Focusing on pioneering research on alternative metrics of progress, governance innovation and institutional change, he makes a compelling case for the profound and positive transformations that could be achieved through a post-GDP system of development. From a new role for small business, households and civil society to a radical evolution of democracy and international relations, Fioramonti sets out a combination of top-down reforms and bottom-up pressures whose impact, he argues, would be unprecedented, making it possible to move away from GDP dominance and towards a more equitable, sustainable and happy society"--

Introduction -- Promoting democracy through the citizens : civil society, micro-assistance to democracy, sustainability -- Democracy promotion and civil society aid : the EU approach -- Civil society and democracy in South Africa : the grassroots dimension of a changing sector -- EU democracy aid to South Africa : the first ten years of democracy (1994-2004) -- Democracy from below : EU support to advice community-based organizations -- EU micro-assistance to democracy and sustainability : a multi-level analysis of grassroots organizations -- Conclusion

Abstract
The process of globalisation, the global pecking order, and most international development policies are anchored on the concept of economic growth, which is at the same time increasingly questioned on social and ecological grounds. Increases in global output (GDP) are indeed among the main drivers of energy and natural resources overuse, with potentially destructive consequences for the overall ecological balances sustaining life on the planet. As a consequence, a number of post-growth theories and approaches have emerged over the past few years. This article carries out a comparative analysis of three main post-growth schools of thought in order to trace back their origin, evolution, and policy impacts at the global level. It also investigates the main points of tension and synergy to advance the debate on how best to challenge conventional growth-based policies in the international arena.

AbstractIn contemporary politics, the power and status of a country are intimately connected with its economic wealth. In particular, GDP has become the benchmark by which the global pecking order is defined. Initially designed as a mere survey of a nation's income, GDP has become an ordering principle in international governance. Yet the convergence of socioeconomic, environmental and energy crises currently questions the sustainability of GDP maximization and its political relevance, strengthened by a growing consensus among policy makers and experts that GDP is an inadequate metric of economic success. As countries move beyond GDP and new indicators are introduced, the overall international political order may also change. In particular, some non‐G7 countries may emerge as global leaders in wellbeing, prosperity and sustainable development. We may be witnessing a gradual shift to a new Bretton Woods, possibly leading to a profound restructuring of globalization with the emergence of new forms of supranational regionalism in which more equitable and sustainable economies will play a leading role.