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The Physical Economy of France (1830–2015). The History of a Parasite?

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  • Magalhães, Nelo
  • Fressoz, Jean-Baptiste
  • Jarrige, François
  • Le Roux, Thomas
  • Levillain, Gaëtan
  • Lyautey, Margot
  • Noblet, Guillaume
  • Bonneuil, Christophe

Abstract

This article explores long-term trends and patterns of material use in France for a 185-year period. It is the first long-term study of material flows for France with national and yearly data for most of the period. Based on a material flow analysis (MFA) that is fully consistent with current standards of economy-wide MFAs and covers domestic extraction, imports, and exports of materials, we investigated the evolution of the French metabolism from industrialization to financialized capitalism. Over the whole period, there is a 9-fold increase in domestic material consumption, an expansion of material use per capita, and a spectacular addition of abiotic resources (fossil fuels and minerals) to biotic materials. Using a world-ecology framework, we exhibit a specific metabolic path: that of a state benefiting from successive world-systems for its economic development through massive material imports.

Suggested Citation

  • Magalhães, Nelo & Fressoz, Jean-Baptiste & Jarrige, François & Le Roux, Thomas & Levillain, Gaëtan & Lyautey, Margot & Noblet, Guillaume & Bonneuil, Christophe, 2019. "The Physical Economy of France (1830–2015). The History of a Parasite?," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 157(C), pages 291-300.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ecolec:v:157:y:2019:i:c:p:291-300
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolecon.2018.12.001
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    1. Louison Cahen-Fourot & Nelo Magalhães, 2020. "Matter and regulation: socio-metabolic and accumulation regimes of French capitalism since 1948," Working Papers halshs-02554906, HAL.
    2. Svartzman, Romain & Dron, Dominique & Espagne, Etienne, 2019. "From ecological macroeconomics to a theory of endogenous money for a finite planet," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 162(C), pages 108-120.

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