The growth-based neoclassical economic paradigm, which is being adopted by
virtually all countries as a development model, has created enormous wealth for some. Yet,
more than a billion people still live in absolute poverty, and the disparity between the rich and
the poor, both within and between countries, is growing. As well, the Earth's ecosystems, the
ones on which humans and countless other species depend for life, are becoming severely
stressed and sometimes irreversibly damaged, a clear testimony to our unsustainable behavior
as a species. The global population is increasing by some 80 million per year, and with this
expansion comes a rise in material and energy demands. Although the Ecological Footprint
of the affluent countries alone is already larger than the planet, economists are counting on
another round of economic growth to alleviate poverty, protect the "environment" and
improve quality of life everywhere. This raises questions as to what lies ahead for low-income
countries, and what kind of future awaits our planet.
The challenge of development today is to improve quality of life, especially for those
who need it most, within the carrying capacity of the planet. Thus, the purpose of this thesis
is to expose the weaknesses of neoclassical economics, and to propose self-reliance as a
development strategy, particularly for low-income countries, as a means to address today's
ecological and socio-economic reality. The concept of self-reliance is based on ecological
economics, a more equitable and ecologically sensitive development paradigm that leads to
sustainable development. Self-reliance is discussed with special emphasis on self-sufficiency
in food, water and energy. Self-reliance is measured against the two extremes, self-sufficiency
at one end of the spectrum, and interdependence at the other. Mahatma Gandhi's
philosophy of swadeshi illustrates how adopting self-reliance as a way of life can solidify the
bonds within a community, and can improve the citizens' overall well-being. Two policy
tools are proposed that will help society to become more self-reliant: ecological tax reform,
and the closing of the "ecological loop". The southern Indian state, Kerala, demonstrates that
it is possible to enjoy a high quality of life without high rates of growth and consumption of
resources. But because the State is currently facing some development challenges, it is shown
how a policy of self-reliance may solve some of its problems.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:LACETR/oai:collectionscanada.gc.ca:BVAU.2429/10323 |
| Date | 05 1900 |
| Creators | Prinet, Emmanuel Jean |
| Source Sets | Library and Archives Canada ETDs Repository / Centre d'archives des thèses électroniques de Bibliothèque et Archives Canada |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation |
| Relation | UBC Retrospective Theses Digitization Project [http://www.library.ubc.ca/archives/retro_theses/] |
Page generated in 0.0086 seconds