Ecological Economics

Beyond Growth is a collection of educational materials offering a reflection on growth. It was created as a joint project of the associations Fairbindung e. V. and Konzeptwerk Neue Ökonomie, both based in Germany. The page provides learning materials and methods  to stimulate thinking about the conditions of our current economy as well as possible alternatives.

One of the pluralist theories which has gained prominence following the 2008 financial crisis is Hyman Minsky and his Financial Instability Hypothesis (FIH). Minsky was unique in viewing balance sheets and financial flows as the primary components of capitalist economies, and his focus on the financial system meant he was well-equipped for foresee a crisis much like 2008. Although he died long before 2008 his framework anticipated many of the processes which led to the crash, particularly increased risk-taking and financial innovation which would outstrip the abilities of regulators and central banks to manage the system.

Dirk Bezemer exemplary presents pattern of the U.S. economy before the 2007 economic crisis and explains how due to those pattern the crisis could have been, unless not precisely predicted, yet anticipated.

In this lecture, Branko Milanovic gives an overview of the concept of inequality as conceptualized within the classical school of thought.

Silke Helfrich – Herausgeberin des Buches „Commons – Für eine neue Politik jenseits von Markt und Staat“ – legt das Konzept der Commons dar: die gemeinschaftliche Nutzung und Organisation von Gütern und Ressourcen. Zum einen erläutert sie, warum Commons nicht nur als Güter, sondern als soziale Praxis gefasst werden können und verweist zum anderen auf Beispiele aus der Praxis, insbesondere aus Lateinamerika.