Urban Farm DB
Research catalogue
Database research record1998·Global

The significance of the limits to growth for the discussion of social policy

F.E. Trainer

International Journal of Sociology and Social Policy

Urban Farm DB summary

This paper presents the "limits to growth" perspective, arguing that current living standards in rich countries are globally unsustainable. It criticizes profit maximization and market forces as inappropriate for the needs of the world's poor, and explores how to reduce per capita resource use and environmental impact through small-scale, self-sufficient economies. It suggests that access to communal property and services should replace income as the means to a satisfying life, and mentions the role of community gardens and workers in saving towns.