Bim: Can we have prosperity without growth? I don't think we can. We need economic growth, but it is a necessary but not sufficient condition for prosperity. Living standards are not just income, it's the state of your health,. It's the opportunities you have through education and leisure. And if our economy had grown at the same rate, after 2008, the 15 years or so after that period of time, our economy per head would be 22%. Kamala: More effective state capacity will turn higher growth into prosperity. If we do that, together, we can generate more economic growth and turn that growth into prosperity for everybody. Thank you Bim.
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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