Growth on a finite planet has some limitations, shall we say. We don't know how to do democratic politics without growth in Western countries. And so I think we've been living in a world since about 2005, where growth is really quite difficult for most Western economies. Our problem now is all the problems of constraints, because of all the damage that has been done to the biosphere by the pursuit of growth. But we are going to need economic growth even though we have just face how it is hard to get there.
As the UK and other countries around the world grapple with a bleak economic forecast and the creeping effects of climate change, the debate over economic growth and its role in our economies has come into sharp focus.
In part one of this live event journalist Kamal Ahmed, was joined by three influential economists, Kate Raworth, Helen Thompson, and Bim Afolami to discuss if we can indeed have prosperity without growth.
Part two and three of this event are available ad free, for subscribers now. And for our listeners who don’t subscribe part 2 will be available in our next episode.
This conversation took place in May 2023 and is part of Intelligence Squared’s live debate partnership with the Southbank Centre.
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