Product Description

First published in 1973, this controversial study looks at the economic structure of the western world in a revolutionary way. Schumacher maintains that man's current pursuit of profit and progress, which promotes giant organizations and increased specialization, has in fact resulted in gross economic inefficiency, environmental pollution and inhumane working conditions. He challenges the doctrine of economic, technological and scientific specialization, and proposes a system of intermediate technology, based on smaller working units, communal ownership and regional workplaces, utilizing local labour and resources.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #10463 in Books
• Published on: 1993-09-16
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 272 pages

Psychologies
`Read these books to get inspiration'

Customer Reviews

Uncommon sense
The point of this book is to assault what is meant by progress and try and understand what has gone wrong when we live in almost obscene wealth while large parts of the planet barely get by. This book is a call to arms, to understand things we all seem to have forgotten: what is value? what actually matters in life? should the means always justify the ends? what is work for? and who put all these economists in charge? I doubt most readers will agree with everything, but the writing is plain, unfussy and easy to read and still very persuasive. Schumacher appeals to uncommon sense: our feeling of how the world should be. And, unlike the other armchair-revolutionaries, he has actually tried to make it happen. To cap it all, Buddhist economics is the most beautful idea i've come across in ages. Highly recommended.

still inspiring
I realized recently that this book has shaped my thinking for all the years ( more than 30) since I have read it, and I measure nearly all attempts at development in its light. (Sadly, not much measures up.) Somehow, it has not become obvious to all that exporting the high-cost- in so many ways- technology and lifestyle of the West is not going to work, but when it does become obvious, it will be the wisdom of this book that will be the guide. Its beauty lies in that it doesn't suggest particular solutions, but the principles to guide the strategies. Now that I have gotten older, and am accumulating some means to help, it will be projects of the recommended intermediate technology, that will the head the list of ideas I support. Read the book and be inspired.

Don't be put off by the title!
Fascinating, it will make you think. It puts some very important issues into perspective without the need for rocket science or intellectual tangling, The only problem is that it needs re-publishing with a new title, and perhaps some omissions towards the end.