Contents:
DOCUMENTS AND ANALYSES AVAILABLE
1. SUMMARY ANALYSES
2. COLLECTIONS OF EDITED QUOTES AND EVIDENCE.
3. DOCUMENTS; Alphabetical index of items.
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Global problems are rapidly getting worse. The en vironment is being severely damaged. Resources are being depleted. Third World poverty is increasing. Even in the richest societies the quality of life is falling, cohesion is eroding and social problems are accelerating.
These problems cannot be solved without fundamental change, because they are directly caused by our present socio-economic system.
The basic faults built into our society centre firstly on the demand for high material "living standards" in a world of limited resources. We cannot keep up the present levels of production and consumption and resource use for long, and there is no possibility of all the world's people ever rising to these levels. People in rich countries have these high "living standards" only because we are taking much more than our fair share of the available resources and depriving the majority.
Even though present levels of production and consumption are unsustainable this economic system must have constant and endless increase in output, i.e., economic growth. A sustainable world order is not possible unless we move to much less affluent lifestyles within a steady-state economic system.
Our second major mistake is allowing the market to determine our fate. An economy which relies heavily on free market forces will inevitably allocate most of the world's wealth to the few, produce inappropriate development, destroy the environment, and ignore the needs of the majority. What is done must be determined by what humans and ecosystems need, not by what is most profitablein a market. Yet we are now racing to a globalised economy in which transnational corporations will be increasingly free to determined what is produced and developed, according to what will maximise their profits.
We need much more than change to an economic system that is not driven by market forces, profit and growth (although markets and private enterprise could have a role in a satisfactgory society.) Our values and culture put far too much emphasis on competition, success, individualism, acquisitiveness, wealth and luxury. There must be a value change to much more concern with cooperation, sharing, helping, caring, collective welfare and living more simply.
Technical advance alone cannot solve these problems. It cannot maked a big enough difference to levels of resoure use and ecological impact. It cannot eliminate the need for radical change in our "living standards", values and economy.
We cannot achieve a sustainable and just world order unless we change to,
- Simpler lifestyles, much less production and consumption, much less concern with luxury, affluence, posessions and wealth.
- Mostly small, highly self-sufficient local economies, largely independent of the global economy.
- More cooperative and participatory ways, enabling people in small communities to take control of their own development.
- A new economy, one not driven by profit or market forces, and a zero-growth or steady-state overall economy, that produces much less than we do now.
- Some very different values, especially cooperation not competition, and frugality and self-sufficiency not acquisitiveness and consuming.
The alternative is about ensuring a very high quality of life for all without anywhere near as much production, consumption, exporting, investment, resource use, environmental damage, work etc. as our present society involves. The important point is that there are many rich alternative sources of satisfaction other than material acquisition and consuming. Consider having much time for arts and crafts and personal growth, living in a rich and supportive community, having to go to work for money only two days a week, living in a diverse and productive leisure-rich landscape, having socially worthwhile and enjoyable work with no fear of unemployment...and knowing you are not contributing to global problems.
Many people now accept this view of our situation and the solution, and are working for transition to the alternative way. There is now a Global Alternative Society Movement building new settlements and systems of the required kind. The fate of the planet depends on whether this Movement can provide many impressive examples of sustainable, just and pleasan tways showing people in consumer society that there is a better way.
The most important thing each of us can do is to help more people to understand that our society is not sustainable, and to understand that there is a satisfactory alternative path. There can be no significant change until enough people see the need for it, and accept The Simpler Way. We can all contribute to increasing this understanding.
The main purpose of this website is to provide information which will help people in their efforts to educate about the need for change to The Simpler Way. There are two categories of documents listed below:
1. SUMMARY ANALYSES, from the perspective of The Simpler Way
(in short and long versions.)2. DOCUMENTS ON MANY TOPICS, listed in alphabetical order.
4. HOW CAN YOU HELP?
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DOCUMENTS, RESOURCES AND ANALYSES AVAILABLE.
Following are summary analyses of key topics
from the perspective of The Simpler Way. Note that at times short and long versions
of the same account are available.
THE SIMPLER WAY; Analysis of the global situation, and the form a sustainable and just society must take. Statements of the analysis are available at different lengths:
- 2 page OUTLINE (A little more detail than in the above summary.)
- 6 page SUMMARY
- 14 page SUMMARY including,
Part 1: The Situation.
Part 2. The Alternative, Simpler Way.
Part 3. The transition...(and notes.)
TOPIC SUMMARY ANALYSES
These differ in length and detail, for use with differing groups. (Some of these topic analyses are noted as being from the above main,detailed account.)
OUR UNSUSTAINABLY AFFLUENT SOCIETY. (5 pages)
THE "LIMITS TO GROWTH" ANALYSIS:
Outline. (2 pages.)
More detailed. (24 pages.)
THE ENVIRONMENT PROBLEM. (11 pages.)
THIRD WORLD DEVELOPMENT
Outline. (2 pages.
More detailed. (22 pages.)
THE ECONOMY -- BASIC SOURCE OF THE PROBLEMS.
CONVENTIONAL VS ALTERNATIVE ECONOMY. ( 1 page .)
THE ECONOMY; A CRITICAL SUMMARY. (5 pages.)
THE ECONOMIC SYSTEM; A RADICAL CRITIQUE. This is the contents page for the main detailed discussion, 50+ pages, in 4 sections.
THE NEW ECONOMY (Detailed, 30 page, account.)
OUR EMPIRE; THE ESSENTIALS. ( 2 pages).
OUR EMPIRE; ITS NATURE AND MAINTENANCE (c.20 pages.)PEACE AND CONFLICT
GLOBAL PEACE AND CONFLICT, from the perspective of The Simpler Way.
SOCIAL COHESION AND BREAKDOWN (24 pages.)
VALUES AND WORLD VIEW OF CONSUMER SOCIETY. (c 15 pages.,)
BRIEF OUTLINE. (4 pages.)
THE ALTERNATIVE, SUSTAINABLE SOCIETY WE MUST BUILD. ( c. 10 page summary.)
THE ALTERNATIVE, SUSTAINABLE SOCIETY. (This is the main, detailed, 32 page account.)
THE NEW ECONOMY. (The main discussion of the new economy, as above; 30 pages.)
THE TRANSITION TO THE SIMPLER WAY.
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PIGFACE POINT; An educational site in the Sydney region introducing people to limits to growth and alternative society themes.
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These are in general large collections of quotes showing that there is extensive supoport for the critical or "simpler way" view.
GLOBALISATION: Collected documents.
THIRD WORLD DEVELOPMENT: Collected Documents.
THE LIMITS TO GROWTH: Collected Documents.
ECONOMICS: Collected Documents.
OUR EMPIRE; Its Nature and Functioning: Collected Documents
THE SUSTAINABLE, ALTERNATIVE SOCIETY: Collected Documents
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Several of these
documents overlap, and different versions of the same account (e.g., short and
long) are sometimes given for use with different audiences. Please use
the version that suits your purposes.
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A Critique of "Clean Energy Futures for Australia", M. Diesendorf, H. Sadler and R. Denniss, (2004), Clean Energy Futures Group, Melbourne, March.
ACADEMIC JARGON
The Sokal Affair; A note.
AFFLUENT SOCIETY
How Cheaply We Could Live. (10 pages.) Summarises how very non-affluently we could live, with a high quality of life.
The Problem of Affluence. Critical statement of the quest for affluence as the fundamental mistake underlying global problems.(8 pages.)
AGRICULTURE
ALTERNATIVE SOCIETY. (i.e., the form a sustainable society must take.)
THE WAY IT COULD BE. This is a c. 250 page "novel" describing the experiences of a person who visits a fictitional settlement that has adopted Simpler Way principles. (It is in 12 parts.)
Part 1. Part 2. Part 3. Part 4. Part 5. Part 6. Part 7. Part 8. Part 9. Part 10. Part 11. Part 12.
An account of the alternative way was given in the book, The Conserver Society; Alternatives for Sustainability, London, Zed books, 1995, by F. E. (Ted) Trainer. However the account on this website is now more detailed and recent.
"The Way I Live", by T. Trainer, outlining some key themes in the simpler lifestyle . (8 pages.)
"How cheaply we could live." Overlaps largely with "The Alternative, Sustainable Society", but focuses on resource and dollar savings.
"The radical implications of the limits to gowth analysis fo the design of settlements." This is a c. 20 page academic paper, focused on urban design.
The
Global Alternative Society Movement.
A chapter outlining many initiatives attempting to develop aspects of the
Simpler Way.
The
benefits of The Simpler Way. Two pages.
ANZAC DAY. "Why ANZAC Day is so disturbing" A commentary on the failure to think
carefully about the causes of war.
APPROPRIATE DEVELOPMENT, (...as opposed to conventional Third
World
development.)
Development; The Radical View. This is probably the best short account of the contrast with conventional-capitalist development, and of the nature and potential of appropriate development.
APPROPRIATE THIRD WORLD DEVELOPMENT, a four page list of principles.
BENEFITS OF THE SIMPLER WAY
CAPITAL.
"Thinking about capital", Two page article explaining that often capital does not need to be borrowed for development, especially by nations.
CAPITALISM
CAPITALISM; A Brief Critical Outline.
Is A Humane Capitalism Posible? Short argument that is is not possible to reform capitalism so that it ceases to generate huge global problems.
Several cartoons plus commentary, putting the critical perspective on several core themes in the critical perspective on the economy and on Third World development. (Being prepared.)
CONVENTIONAL VS APPROPRIATE DEVELOPMENT; THE ESSENTIALS. A two page list of contrasting points.
CONFLICT.
GLOBAL PEACE AND CONFLICT; From the Perspective of The Simpler Way. A short statement of the connections between overconsumption, global economic injustice, and inevitable and worsening global conflict.
GLOBAL PEACE AND CONFLICT; Collected Documents. Quotes relating to the above themes.
See also PEACE AND CONFLICT below for other related items.
CSIRO REPORT, FUTURE DILEMMAS; Critical paper on this Report, arguing that it
significantly underestinmates the prolems consumer-capitalist society is generating.
DEBT
See the approximately 20 page academic paper, "The radical impliations of the limits to growth analysis for the design of settlements"
DEVELOPMENT
(...of the Third World) See
also Globalisation,
and Our Empire.
Third World Development; The Basic Simpler Way Analysis. (c 16 pages.)
Development: The Radical Alternative View. Possibly the best short account here of conventional-capitalist development and the almost completely ignored alternative "appropriate" development, with reference to practical illustrations indicating extremely low resource costs.
Conventional vs Appropriate Development; The Essentials. (Contrast between the two on key issues. 2 pages.)
"What does development mean; A rejection of the unidimensional conception." A detailed paper arguing that most thinking about development has taken for granted that growth is development, and presenting a radically alternative conception of appropriate development.
"The neo-liberal Agenda; What is really going on." The Neo-liberal assertion of need for free markets etc should be seen as a push by corporae rich to take over even more of the world's wealth. (2 pp).
THIRD WORLD DEVELOPMENT DOCUMENTS; . Large collection of extracts. Extensive evidence for the critical position. Contents page.
Response to the World Bank's invitation to participate in the Banks' Third Annual Conference on Development Economics. A critical 2 page statement to the Bank.
APPROPRIATE THIRD WORLD DEVELOPMENT, a four page list of principles.
PEDRO'S
DEVELOPMENT;
A role reading showing the faults in the conventional approach to development
.
EARTH-BUILT HOUSING
"The Neo-liberal agenda; What is really going on." The Neo-liberal assertion of need for free markets etc should be seen as a push by corporae rich to take over even more of the world's wealth.. (2 pp).
"Economic rationalism has not failed." (4 page article.)
"Illustrating
the nature of neo-liberalism." The
essential refusal to "cross-subsidise" or achieve non-economic goals (i.e.,
only profit maximisation matters) is evident when Maleny "town bank", and
provision of shipping pilots, are considered. (2 p.)
THE ECONOMIC SYSTEM; A RADICAL CRITIQUE. (This is the main detailed discussion, 50+ pages.)
"The economy; The conventional vs the sane approach." (1 page.) This is a very brief statement of The Simpler Way perspective on the economy.)
"The economy; A critical summary." (5 pages). This is brief but slightly more detailed statment of The Simpler Way perspective on the economy.)
Capitalism; A brief critical introduction.((3 pages.)
"The Neo-liberal agenda; What is really going on." The Neo-liberal assertion of need for free markets etc should be seen as a push by corporate rich to take over even more of the world's wealth.. (2 pp).
"Global economic injustice; The basic facts and causes." (2 pages.)
ECO-TOURISM
EDUCATION
"EDUCATION; OUTLINE OF A RADICALLY CRITICAL VIEW."
"EDUCATION IN THE ALTERNATIVE, SUSTAINABLE SOCIETY"
Documents on radical education
theory. The Role of Education In Society, 2 volumes of quotes
and evidence. Open Reserve, Library, University of N.S.W.
(Dated now, but valuable.)
Pedro's Development. A role reading making clear the unsatisfactory nature of the conventional approach to development.
CARTOONS. Several cartoons plus commentary, putting the critical perspective on core themes in Third World development. (Soon to be added.)
EMPIRE. (...i.e., the empire which delivers high living standards to rich countries.)
Our Empire; Essential Themes (2 pages)
Our Empire; Its Nature and Maintenance. (c 23 pages.)
Our Empire; Collected Documents. (c 80 pages.)
ENERGY
RENEWABLE ENERGY CANNOT SUSTAIN CONSUMER SOCIETY, Ted Trainer, to be published by Springer, Dordrecht, NL, in 2007.
The contents are:
1. Introduction
2. Wind
3. Solar thermal
4. Photovoltaic
5. Biomass (Liquid and gaseous fuels)
6. Hydrogen
7. Storage
8. Conclusions on renewables
9. Nuclear energy.
10. The wider context; The limits to growth perspective.
11.The Simpler Way, incl. energy implications.
12. References.A brief outline of the argument is given in Renewable energy can't save consumer society.
The Petroleum Situation. (4 pages.)
The Stern Review; A critical comment on its CO2 abatement optimism. (This 2006 document claimed the problem can be solved with little cost; the critique argues that this is grossly incorrect.)
Saving the environment. A c.8 page version of the argument.
Saving the Environment; What It Will Take, title of a book by T. Trainer, UNSW Press, 1998.
"Saving the Environment, What It Will Take"; a 2 page newspaper article, summarising the argument in the above book.
GARNAUT.
GATS (General Agreement on Trade in Services)
Critical statement addressed to MPs. (3 pages.)
For collected documents on GATS see GLOBALISATION; COLLECTED DOCUMENTS, Section on GATS.
For general summary and critical statement on globalisation see Globalisation; A summary,
GENERAL EDUCATION COURSE REFERENCE LIST.
GLOBAL ECONOMIC INJUSTICE.
"Global Economic
Injustice; The basic facts and causes." (2
pages.)
GLOBAL ECOVILLAGE MOVEMENT.
GLOBAL PEACE AND CONFLICT.
GLOBAL PEACE AND CONFLICT; From the Perspective of The Simpler Way. A short statement of the connections between overconsumption, global economic injustice, and inevitable and worsening global conflict.
GLOBAL PEACE AND CONFLICT; Collected Documents. Quotes relating to the above themes.
GLOBAL RESOURCE DISTRIBUTION.
GLOBALISATION.
Globalisation:A Summary. 4 page overview."Two common mistakes about globalisation"; Paper arguing that globalisation is inevitable given capitalist society, and that the limits to growth analysis means there can be little international trade in a sustainable world order.
"The Neo-liberal agenda; What is really going on." The Neo-liberal assertion of need for free markets etc should be seen as a push by corporae rich to take over even more of the world's wealth.. (2 pp).
GLOBALISATION; DOCUMENTS; Large collection of quotes, evidence, notes. Contents page.
GREED
GREENHOUSE PROBLEM