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Growth, the Environment and Keynes: Reflections on Two Heterodox Schools of Thought

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  • Spash, Clive L.
  • Schandl, Heinz

Abstract

This paper explores the approach of Post Keynesian Economics (PKE) in comparison with ecological economics. While PKE, like all macroeconomics, has failed to address environmental problems it does have many aspects which make compatibility with ecological economics seem feasible. Ecological economics has no specific macroeconomic approach although it has strong implications for economic growth and how this should be controlled, directed and in materials terms limited. We highlight growth as the key area of difference and reflect upon how Keynes himself saw capital accumulation as a means to an end not an end in itself, regarded it as a temporary measure and also was well aware of some of its psychological and social drawbacks.

Suggested Citation

  • Spash, Clive L. & Schandl, Heinz, 2009. "Growth, the Environment and Keynes: Reflections on Two Heterodox Schools of Thought," MPRA Paper 102542, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    • Handle: RePEc:pra:mprapa:102542
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    Cited by:

    1. Kronenberg, Tobias, 2010. "Finding common ground between ecological economics and post-Keynesian economics," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 69(7), pages 1488-1494, May.
    2. Rezai, Armon & Stagl, Sigrid, 2016. "Ecological Macreconomics: Introduction and Review," Ecological Economic Papers 9, WU Vienna University of Economics and Business.
    3. Patrizia Ghisellini & Renato Passaro & Sergio Ulgiati, 2021. "Revisiting Keynes in the Light of the Transition to Circular Economy," Circular Economy and Sustainability,, Springer.
    4. Spash, Clive L. & Ryan, Anthony M., 2010. "Ecological, Heterodox and Neoclassical Economics: Investigating the Differences," MPRA Paper 26292, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    5. Rezai, Armon & Taylor, Lance & Mechler, Reinhard, 2013. "Ecological macroeconomics: An application to climate change," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 85(C), pages 69-76.
    6. Bina, Olivia & La Camera, Francesco, 2011. "Promise and shortcomings of a green turn in recent policy responses to the “double crisis”," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 70(12), pages 2308-2316.
    7. Hardt, Lukas & O'Neill, Daniel W., 2017. "Ecological Macroeconomic Models: Assessing Current Developments," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 134(C), pages 198-211.
    8. Bernardo Cantone & Alexander S. Antonarakis & Andreas Antoniades, 2021. "The great stagnation and environmental sustainability: A multidimensional perspective," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 29(3), pages 485-503, May.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    heterodox economics; environment; Keynes; post keynesian economics; ecological economics; economic growth;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • B5 - Schools of Economic Thought and Methodology - - Current Heterodox Approaches
    • E12 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - General Aggregative Models - - - Keynes; Keynesian; Post-Keynesian; Modern Monetary Theory
    • E51 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Monetary Policy, Central Banking, and the Supply of Money and Credit - - - Money Supply; Credit; Money Multipliers
    • O40 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Growth and Aggregate Productivity - - - General
    • O44 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Growth and Aggregate Productivity - - - Environment and Growth
    • P16 - Political Economy and Comparative Economic Systems - - Capitalist Economies - - - Capitalist Institutions; Welfare State
    • Q01 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - General - - - Sustainable Development
    • Q57 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Ecological Economics

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