Re: kohler on global effective demand

WSN List-

Just based on the abstract of Kohler's article, isn't there a
contradiction between *increasing* global demand and environmental
sustainability?  If sustainability is the main goal, then *decreasing*
demand might be sought instead.  

Personally I favor some combination of both.  That is not necessarily a
contradiction if it is understood that different approaches are called for
in different parts of the world-system:  increasing the standard of living
in the poor regions, and decreasing aggregate consumption in the wealthy
regions, with the overall goal of decreasing demand, not increasing it.

My shorthand for this issue is the contradiction between a "red" strategy
of reducing inequality versus a "green" strategy of reducing environmental
degradation.  My proposed solution is a red-green transition strategy
which starts with the two divergent approaches mentioned above, and moves
toward a global steady-state economy with relative equality.  This end
state would not be capitalism, keynesian or otherwise.

Richard Hutchinson
Weber State University