Author: Kate Raworth

Economics, it turns out, is not a matter of discovering laws: it is essentially a question of design.

From the book Doughnut Economics: 7 Ways to Think Like a 21st Century Economist

Today we have economies that need to grow, whether or not they make us thrive; what we need are economies that make us thrive, whether or not they grow.

From the book Doughnut Economics: 7 Ways to Think Like a 21st Century Economist

The word ‘economics’ was coined by the philosopher Xenophon in Ancient Greece. Combining oikos meaning household with nomos meaning rules or norms, he invented the art of household management, and it could not be more relevant today. This century we need some pretty insightful managers to guide our planetary household, and ones who are ready to pay attention to the needs of all of its inhabitants.

From the book Doughnut Economics: 7 Ways to Think Like a 21st Century Economist

Instead of pursuing endless growth, it is time to pursue wellbeing for all people as part of a thriving world, with policymaking that is designed in the service of this goal. This results in a very different conception of progress: in the place of endless growth we seek a dynamic balance, one that aims to meet the essential needs of every person while protecting the life-supporting systems of our planetary home. And since we are the inheritors of economies that need to grow, whether or not they make us thrive, a critical challenge in high-income countries is to create economies that enable us to thrive, whether or not they grow.

From the essay What does progress look like on a planet at its limit?