ABSTRACT
This chapter outlines an analytical approach and provides some specific examples of the social consequences most likely to emanate from a condition of zero economic growth. It accepts as a minimum goal a good standard of health and decency for all of mankind, obtained at a minimum psychological and social cost and with minimum deleterious consequences for the environment. Economic goals are but intermediate goals to the attainment of these truly basic ends, and the suitability of economic goals ought to be judged accordingly. The basic premise is that many worthwhile things that can be measured in economic terms are either already provided in ways that make no demand on non-renewable resources, or conceivably could be. With respect to conditions of life, it is possible to note a large number of likely changes that would attend achievement of a zero economic-growth rate.
