Gross Domestic Problem: The Politics Behind the World's Most Powerful Number (Economic Controversies)

Gross domestic product is arguably the best-known statistic in the contemporary world, and certainly amongst the most powerful. It drives government policy and sets priorities in a variety of vital social fields - from schooling to healthcare. Yet for perhaps the first time since it was invented in the 1930s, this popular icon of economic growth has come to be regarded by a wide range of people as a ‘problem’. After all, does our quality of life really improve when our economy grows 2 or 3 per cent? Can we continue to sacrifice the environment to safeguard a vision of the world based on the illusion of infinite economic growth? Lorenzo Fioramonti takes apart the ‘content’ of GDP - what it measures, what it doesn‘t and why - and reveals the powerful political interests that have allowed it to dominate today's economies. In doing so, he demonstrates just how little relevance GDP has to moral principles such as equity, social justice and redistribution, and shows that an alternative is possible, as evinced by the ‘de-growth’ movement and initiatives such as transition towns. A startling insight into the politics of a number that has come to dominate our everyday lives.

Gross domestic product is arguably the best-known statistic in the contemporary world, and certainly amongst the most powerful. It drives government policy and sets priorities in a variety of vital social fields - from schooling to healthcare. Yet for perhaps the first time since it was invented in the 1930s, this popular icon of economic growth has come to be regarded by a wide range of people as a 'problem'. After all, does our quality of life really improve when our economy grows 2 or 3 per cent? Can we continue to sacrifice the environment to safeguard a vision of the world based on the illusion of infinite economic growth?Lorenzo Fioramonti takes apart the 'content' of GDP - what it measures, what it doesn't and why - and reveals the powerful political interests that have allowed it to dominate today's economies. In doing so, he demonstrates just how little relevance GDP has to moral principles such as equity, social justice and redistribution, and shows that an alternative is possible, as evinced by the 'de-growth' movement and initiatives such as transition towns.A startling insight into the politics of a number that has come to dominate our everyday lives.

"Gross domestic product is one of the best-known and most powerful statistics in the contemporary world. It drives government policy on a variety of vital areas, from health to education. Yet perhaps for the first time since its invention in the 1930s, a wide range of people regard this icon of economic growth as a problem. Gross Domestic Problem unpacks GDP -- what it measures, what it doesn't, and why -- and reveals the powerful politics that have allowed it to dominate today's economies. Lorenzo Fioramonti demonstrates just how little GDP has to do with equity and social and environmental justice, and shows that an alternative is possible."--Résumé de l'éditeur "Gross domestic product is one of the best-known and most powerful statistics in the contemporary world. It drives government policy on a variety of vital areas, from health to education. Yet perhaps for the first time since its invention in the 1930s, a wide range of people regard this icon of economic growth as a problem. Gross Domestic Problem unpacks GDP -- what it measures, what it doesn't, and why -- and reveals the powerful politics that have allowed it to dominate today's economies. Lorenzo Fioramonti demonstrates just how little GDP has to do with equity and social and environmental justice, and shows that an alternative is possible."--Provided by publisher GDP versus society and the environmentFigure 2.2 Global GDP growth financed by spending down the world's natural wealth; What makes life worthwhile; Chapter 3 | The global quest to dethrone GDP; Improving or replacing GDP? The search for alternative indicators; Public institutions rethinking GDP?; Resistance to change; GDP strikes back; Poisonous beer; Chapter 4 | Change from below; In transition to a 'degrowth' society; Rethinking money; The sandwich model; Conclusion | Supremacy and resistance; Notes; Introduction; Chapter 1; Chapter 2; Chapter 3; Chapter 4; Conclusion; Bibliography; Index About the series; About the author; Title page; Copyright; Table of contents; Acknowledgements; Introduction | The world's most powerful number; What is GDP?; The politics of GDP; GDP and its critics; Chapter 1 | The history of GDP: from crisis to crisis; Numbers and politics: the pre-history of GDP; GDP as a 'war machine'; Manipulation and the 'stats war'; Globalization of national income and the global economic crisis; The greatest invention of the twentieth century?; Chapter 2 | The Frankenstein syndrome; Taming the monster; Figure 2.1 GDP growth in the USA Gross Domestic Product Is One Of The Best Known And Most Powerful Statistics In The Contemporary World. It Drives Government Policy On A Variety Of Vital Areas, From Health To Education. Yet Perhaps For The First Time Since Its Invention In The 1930s, A Wide Range Of People Regard This Icon Of Economic Growth As A Problem. Gross Domestic Problem Unpacks Gdp, What It Measures, What It Doesn't, And Why, And Reveals The Powerful Politics That Have Allowed It To Dominate Today's Economies. The world's most powerful number -- The history of GDP: from crisis to crisis -- The Frankenstein syndrome -- The global quest to dethrone GDP -- Change from below -- Supremacy and resistance