Re: kohler on global effective demand

At 01:32 PM 10/12/99 -0700, Richard Hutchinson wrote:

>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.
>



This is an honest question, not a challenge, for Richard or anybody else
who wants to take a shot at it:

How is a political coalition in favor of lowering aggregate consumption in
the developed countries to be constructed?  Obviously, there is a
temptation to engage in calls to "soak the rich" and redistribute the
wealth to developing regions.  Nevertheless, it's worth asking whether or
not "soaking the rich" is enough, and whether or not consumption of
middle-class or even relatively low-income folks would have to be
diminished in developed countries.  If this is so, where is the political
support for Hutchinson's "red-green" strategy to come from?

   
--
Jeffrey L. Beatty
Doctoral Student
Department of Political Science
The Ohio State University
2140 Derby Hall
154 North Oval Mall
Columbus, Ohio 43210

(o) 614/292-2880
(h) 614/688-0567
Email:  Beatty.4@osu.edu
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