The Little Big Number
eBook - ePub

The Little Big Number

How GDP Came to Rule the World and What to Do about It

  1. 416 pages
  2. English
  3. ePUB (mobile friendly)
  4. Available on iOS & Android
eBook - ePub

The Little Big Number

How GDP Came to Rule the World and What to Do about It

About this book

The story of GDP and why we need a better measurement of growth

In one lifetime, GDP, or Gross Domestic Product, has ballooned from a narrow economic tool into a global article of faith. As The Little Big Number demonstrates, this spells trouble. While economies and cultures measure their performance by it, GDP only measures output. It ignores central facts such as quality, costs, or purpose. Sustainability and quality of life are overlooked. Losses don't count. The world can no longer afford GDP rule—GDP ignores real development. Dirk Philipsen demonstrates how the history of GDP reveals unique opportunities to fashion smarter goals and measures. The Little Big Number explores a possible roadmap for a future that advances quality of life rather than indiscriminate growth.

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Yes, you can access The Little Big Number by Dirk Philipsen in PDF and/or ePUB format, as well as other popular books in Economics & Government & Business. We have over one million books available in our catalogue for you to explore.

Table of contents

  1. Cover Page
  2. Title Page
  3. Copyright Page
  4. Contents
  5. Acknowledgments
  6. Introduction: We Become What We Measure
  7. 1. More, Better, Faster: The Beginnings
  8. 2. The Origins of Bling: The Spirit of Economic Growth
  9. 3. The Crucible of Crisis: The Great Depression and the Need for Economic Indicators
  10. 4. Born from Disaster: The Making of a Key Measure
  11. 5. Forged in War
  12. 6. Global Domination: The Age of GDP
  13. 7. Today’s ABC of GDP
  14. 8. More Is Not Enough
  15. 9. “The People of Plenty Are a People of Waste”
  16. 10. From Alchemy to Reason: What If? A Thought Experiment
  17. 11. Looking Forward
  18. Appendix A. The Measure as Guide
  19. Notes
  20. Bibliography
  21. Index