Post Keynesian and Ecological Economics - 9781847206688

Post-Keynesian and ecological economics have their differences but they share much common ground in their criticisms of neoclassical economics, particularly in regards to environmental problems. In this collection, Holt (economics, Southern Oregon U., US), Pressman (economics and finance, Monmouth U., US), and Spash (economics, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Australia) present 14 papers exploring this common ground and discussing what each perspective can give to the other. Topics addressed include recent developments in post-Keynesian methodology related to realism and ontology, open systems, and the implications of ontology for uncertainty and their value to ecological economics; how both schools deal with questions of uncertainty and historical time; the insights of ecological economist Kenneth Boulding and their compatibility with post-Keynesian economics; the post-Keynesian theory of consumer choice; the problems with assuming rational choice in addressing greenhouse gas emissions from automobiles; the incorporation of the biophysical nature of human activity within the post-Keynesian model of production; the role of government deficit spending in guaranteeing demand for environmentally friendly consumer goods; and ecological and post-Keynesian understandings of the roles of ecological services, social capital, and human capital in sustainable development. Annotation ©2010 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)