IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/mes/challe/v56y2013i2p53-78.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The Growth Trap, Ecological Devastation, and the Promise of Guaranteed Employment

Author

Listed:
  • Jon Wisman

Abstract

Can we ever practically control the degradation of the environment if the world continues to emphasize economic growth as its answer to social justice? Guarantee employment and grow less rapidly, says the author. He offers an unorthodox idea that deserves a hearing.

Suggested Citation

  • Jon Wisman, 2013. "The Growth Trap, Ecological Devastation, and the Promise of Guaranteed Employment," Challenge, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 56(2), pages 53-78.
    • Handle: RePEc:mes:challe:v:56:y:2013:i:2:p:53-78
    DOI: 10.2753/0577-5132560203
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.2753/0577-5132560203
    Download Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.2753/0577-5132560203?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to look for a different version below or search for a different version of it.

    Other versions of this item:

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Raphael, Steven & Winter-Ember, Rudolf, 2001. "Identifying the Effect of Unemployment on Crime," Journal of Law and Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 44(1), pages 259-283, April.
    2. Edward N. Wolff, 2007. "Recent Trends in Household Wealth in the United States: Rising Debt and the Middle-Class Squeeze," Economics Working Paper Archive wp_502, Levy Economics Institute.
    3. Wendell Gordon, 1997. "Job Assurance—The Job Guarantee Revisited," Journal of Economic Issues, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 31(3), pages 826-834, September.
    4. Daron Acemoglu & James A. Robinson, 2000. "Why Did the West Extend the Franchise? Democracy, Inequality, and Growth in Historical Perspective," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 115(4), pages 1167-1199.
    5. Jon Wisman, 2009. "Household Saving, Class Identity, and Conspicuous Consumption," Journal of Economic Issues, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 43(1), pages 89-114.
    6. Eric D. Gould & Bruce A. Weinberg & David B. Mustard, 2002. "Crime Rates And Local Labor Market Opportunities In The United States: 1979-1997," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 84(1), pages 45-61, February.
    7. L. Randall Wray, 1997. "Government as Employer of Last Resort: Full Employment without Inflation," Economics Working Paper Archive wp_213, Levy Economics Institute.
    8. Richard B. Freeman, 1996. "Why Do So Many Young American Men Commit Crimes and What Might We Do about It?," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 10(1), pages 25-42, Winter.
    9. L. Randall Wray, 1998. "Modern Money," Economics Working Paper Archive wp_252, Levy Economics Institute.
    10. Grogger, Jeff, 1998. "Market Wages and Youth Crime," Journal of Labor Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 16(4), pages 756-791, October.
    11. Cameron, Samuel, 1988. "The Economics of Crime Deterrence: A Survey of Theory and Evidence," Kyklos, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 41(2), pages 301-323.
    12. Alesina, Alberto & La Ferrara, Eliana, 2005. "Preferences for redistribution in the land of opportunities," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 89(5-6), pages 897-931, June.
    13. Mathew Forstater, 1998. "Flexible Full Employment: Structural Implications of Discretionary Public Sector Employment," Journal of Economic Issues, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 32(2), pages 557-563, June.
    14. Lane,Robert E., 1991. "The Market Experience," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9780521407373.
    15. William Mitchell & L. Randall Wray, 2005. "In Defense of Employer of Last Resort: A Response to Malcolm Sawyer," Journal of Economic Issues, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 39(1), pages 235-244, March.
    16. Jon Wisman, 2003. "The Scope and Promising Future of Social Economics," Review of Social Economy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 61(4), pages 425-445.
    17. Samuel Cameron, 1988. "The Economics of Crime Deterrence: A Survey of Theory and Evidence," Kyklos, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 41(2), pages 301-323, May.
    18. Mathew Forstater, 2006. "Green Jobs: Public Service Employment and Environmental Sustainability," Challenge, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 49(4), pages 58-72.
    19. Jon D. Wisman & James F. Smith, 2011. "Legitimating Inequality: Fooling Most of the People All of the Time," American Journal of Economics and Sociology, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 70(4), pages 974-1013, October.
    20. Antoine Godin, 2012. "Guaranteed Green Jobs: Sustainable Full Employment," Economics Working Paper Archive wp_722, Levy Economics Institute.
    21. L. Randall Wray, 1999. "Public Service Employment-Assured Jobs Program: Further Considerations," Journal of Economic Issues, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 33(2), pages 483-490, June.
    22. J. Solnick, Sara & Hemenway, David, 1998. "Is more always better?: A survey on positional concerns," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 37(3), pages 373-383, November.
    23. Jon Wisman, 2011. "Inequality, Social Respectability, Political Power, and Environmental Devastation," Journal of Economic Issues, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 45(4), pages 877-900.
    24. Jon Wisman, 2010. "The Moral Imperative and Social Rationality of Government-Guaranteed Employment and Reskilling," Review of Social Economy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 68(1), pages 35-67.
    25. Bhashkar Mazumder, 2005. "Fortunate Sons: New Estimates of Intergenerational Mobility in the United States Using Social Security Earnings Data," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 87(2), pages 235-255, May.
    26. Leibenstein, Harvey, 1978. "General X-Efficiency Theory and Economic Development," OUP Catalogue, Oxford University Press, number 9780195023800.
    27. Paul Davidson & Jan Kregel (ed.), 1999. "Full Employment and Price Stability in a Global Economy," Books, Edward Elgar Publishing, number 1670.
    28. Oecd, 2011. "National Broadband Plans," OECD Digital Economy Papers 181, OECD Publishing.
    29. Malcolm Sawyer, 2003. "Employer of Last Resort: Could It Deliver Full Employment and Price Stability?," Journal of Economic Issues, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 37(4), pages 881-907, December.
    30. Easterlin, Richard A, 2001. "Income and Happiness: Towards an Unified Theory," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 111(473), pages 465-484, July.
    31. L. Randall Wray, 1998. "Zero Unemployment and Stable Prices," Journal of Economic Issues, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 32(2), pages 539-545, June.
    32. Morgan Kelly, 2000. "Inequality And Crime," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 82(4), pages 530-539, November.
    33. Edward N. Wolff, 2010. "Recent Trends in Household Wealth in the United States-- Rising Debt and the Middle-Class Squeeze--An Update to 2007," Economics Working Paper Archive wp_589, Levy Economics Institute.
    34. Richard A. Easterlin (ed.), 2002. "Happiness in Economics," Books, Edward Elgar Publishing, number 2479.
    35. Richard Anderson-Connolly, 2006. "The Problem with Growth as the Solution," Challenge, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 49(1), pages 90-118.
    36. Liliana Winkelmann & Rainer Winkelmann, 1998. "Why Are the Unemployed So Unhappy?Evidence from Panel Data," Economica, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 65(257), pages 1-15, February.
    37. Avner Offer, 2007. "The Challenge of Affluence: Interview with Avner Offer," Challenge, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 50(2), pages 6-19.
    38. Muller, Edward N. & Seligson, Mitchell A., 1987. "Inequality and Insurgency," American Political Science Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 81(2), pages 425-451, June.
    39. Amartya Sen, 1997. "Inequality, Unemployment and Contemporary Europe," STICERD - Development Economics Papers - From 2008 this series has been superseded by Economic Organisation and Public Policy Discussion Papers 07, Suntory and Toyota International Centres for Economics and Related Disciplines, LSE.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Blog mentions

    As found by EconAcademics.org, the blog aggregator for Economics research:
    1. Unequal and Unhappy
      by Aaron Pacitti in Huffington Post Business on 2015-01-07 21:08:40
    2. Unequal and Unhappy
      by Aaron Pacitti in Huffington Post Money on 2015-01-07 21:08:40

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Jon D. Wisman & Aaron Pacitti, 2013. "Ending the Crisis With Guaranteed Employment and Retraining," Working Papers 2013-12, American University, Department of Economics.
    2. Jon D. Wisman & Aaron Pacitti, 2017. "Guaranteed Employment and Universal Child Care For a New Social Contract," Working Papers 2017-05, American University, Department of Economics.
    3. Montolio, Daniel, 2018. "The effects of local infrastructure investment on crime," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 52(C), pages 210-230.
    4. Paolo Buonanno, 2003. "The Socioeconomic Determinants of Crime. A Review of the Literature," Working Papers 63, University of Milano-Bicocca, Department of Economics, revised Nov 2003.
    5. Jon D. Wisman & Michael Cauvel, 2021. "Why Has Labor Not Demanded Guaranteed Employment?," Journal of Economic Issues, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 55(3), pages 677-696, July.
    6. Jon Wisman, 2011. "Inequality, Social Respectability, Political Power, and Environmental Devastation," Journal of Economic Issues, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 45(4), pages 877-900.
    7. Jon Wisman, 2013. "Government Is Whose Problem?," Journal of Economic Issues, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 47(4), pages 911-938.
    8. Denis Fougère & Francis Kramarz & Julien Pouget, 2009. "Youth Unemployment and Crime in France," Journal of the European Economic Association, MIT Press, vol. 7(5), pages 909-938, September.
    9. Jon D. Wisman, 2014. "Capitalism and Inequality Re-Examined," Working Papers 2014-12, American University, Department of Economics.
    10. Jon D. Wisman & Kevin W. Capehart, 2010. "Creative Destruction, Economic Insecurity, Stress, and Epidemic Obesity," American Journal of Economics and Sociology, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 69(3), pages 936-982, July.
    11. Fadhel Kaboub, 2011. "Understanding and preventing financial instability; Post-Keynesian Institutionalism and government employer of last resort," Chapters, in: Charles J. Whalen (ed.), Financial Instability and Economic Security after the Great Recession, chapter 4, pages 77-92, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    12. Jon D. Wisman, 2017. "Politics, Not Economics, Ultimately Drives Inequality," Challenge, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 60(4), pages 347-367, July.
    13. George F. N. Shoukry, 2016. "Criminals' Response To Changing Crime Lucre," Economic Inquiry, Western Economic Association International, vol. 54(3), pages 1464-1483, July.
    14. Jon D. Wisman, 2015. "What Drives Inequality?," Working Papers 2015-09, American University, Department of Economics.
    15. Kangoh Lee, 2018. "Unemployment and crime: the role of apprehension," European Journal of Law and Economics, Springer, vol. 45(1), pages 59-80, February.
    16. GholamReza Keshavarz Haddad & Hamed Markazi Moghadam, 2011. "The socioeconomic and demographic determinants of crime in Iran (a regional panel study)," European Journal of Law and Economics, Springer, vol. 32(1), pages 99-114, August.
    17. Jon D. Wisman, 2013. "Why Marx still matters," International Journal of Pluralism and Economics Education, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 4(3), pages 229-242.
    18. Van Landeghem, Bert & Vandeplas, Anneleen, 2018. "The relationship between status and happiness: Evidence from the caste system in rural India," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 77(C), pages 62-71.
    19. Altindag, Duha T., 2012. "Crime and unemployment: Evidence from Europe," International Review of Law and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 32(1), pages 145-157.
    20. Kenneth Burdett & Ricardo Lagos & Randall Wright, 2003. "Crime, Inequality, and Unemployment," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 93(5), pages 1764-1777, December.

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • E24 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - Employment; Unemployment; Wages; Intergenerational Income Distribution; Aggregate Human Capital; Aggregate Labor Productivity
    • J21 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Labor Force and Employment, Size, and Structure
    • Q01 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - General - - - Sustainable Development
    • Q50 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - General

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:mes:challe:v:56:y:2013:i:2:p:53-78. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Chris Longhurst (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.tandfonline.com/MCHA20 .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.