« The Proper Use of Land ». E.F. Schumacher on Economics and the Environment, 1930-1977.

Leonard, R. (2021). « The Proper Use of Land ». E.F. Schumacher on Economics and the Environment, 1930-1977. Cahiers d'économie politique, n° 79(1), 191-211.

E.F. Schumacher (1911–1977) went from being a conventional economist of Fabian-socialist stripe in the 1940s to becoming the author of Small is Beautiful: A Study of Economics as if People Mattered, the 1973 best-seller that brought him public fame. In the course of his intellectual evolution, Schumacher became increasingly critical of the economics profession, which he accused of being obsessed with measurement and oblivious to quality, and of promoting economic growth at great environmental cost. This article considers Schumacher’s critique of the economics discipline and its methods, with particular emphasis on environmental matters.

This content has been updated on 17 November 2021 at 9 h 57 min.