Small Is Beautiful by E F Schumacher

“Small Is Beautiful: A Study of Economics As If People Mattered” is a book by economist E. F. Schumacher, first published in 1973. The book is a collection of essays that present Schumacher’s ideas on sustainable development, appropriate technology, and the importance of human-scale economics.

The book argues that the modern economic system, with its emphasis on maximizing profits and production at all costs, is unsustainable and destructive to both people and the environment. Schumacher advocates for an economic system that prioritizes the well-being of people and the environment, with a focus on small-scale, decentralized production and the use of appropriate technologies.

The book is divided into four sections: “The Modern World,” “Resources,” “The Third World,” and “Organization and Ownership.” Schumacher covers a range of topics in these sections, including the limitations of GDP as a measure of progress, the dangers of unchecked technological development, the importance of local self-sufficiency, and the need for democratic ownership and control of economic institutions.

“Small Is Beautiful” has been influential in the development of the environmental and social justice movements, and has inspired a range of alternative economic and political models, such as the concept of “steady-state economics” and the idea of “degrowth” as a solution to the problems of overconsumption and ecological collapse. The book remains a classic of ecological and social thought, and its ideas continue to be relevant in the face of global environmental and social challenges.