Ted Trainer
Biographic Data
| ID | 767500 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Ted Trainer |
| GIVEN NAMES | Ted |
| FAMILY NAME | Trainer |
| SIGNATURE | TRAINER T |
| AFFILIATIONS | UNSW Sydney |
| VERIFIED | No |
| TOTAL WORKS | 16 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 43 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 16 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 1990 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2026 |
| H-INDEX | 3 |
Dramatically Reducing Resource and Ecological Impacts the Simpler Way: A Case Study
The quest for cleaner production usually focuses on better ways of producing to meet demand in existing society. However this study proceeds from a different perspective, I.e., from the belief that the solution to sustainability problems must involve transition to much simpler lifestyles and systems. The required degrowth is very large. The resulting radical implications for the form that sustainable society must take are outlined. The article pr…
On degrowth strategy: The Simpler Way perspective
The rapidly expanding degrowth literature has focused predominantly on the case for degrowth and its goals and much less attention has been given to how it might be achieved. The following discussion is not concerned to review the current state of the discussion and refers to it only in order to develop a case for a particular approach to degrowth strategy, that is, one deriving from the simpler way perspective on the global predicament. This foc…
A technical critique of the Green New Deal
What does Degrowth mean? Some comments on Jason Hickel’s ‘A few points of clarification’
In a recent edition of Globalizations Jason Hickel made three main points towards clarifying the discussion of Degrowth. His contribution reinforced some important elements in the Degrowth claim, especially the fact that it is in no way to be identified with recession, and that there is a vast amount of evidence against the belief that growth of GDP can be decoupled from growth in resource consumption. However, I want to argue against his perspec…
De-growth: Some suggestions from the Simpler Way perspective
Remaking settlements for sustainability: The Simpler Way
In view of the global resource and ecological situation, per-capita resource consumption rates in the rich world probably need to be reduced by 90%. This can only be done if there is a "de-growth" transition to some kind of Simpler Way centered on mostly small, highly self-sufficient and self-governing communities in control of local economies within a culture that is not focused on material wealth. It is not surprising that the viability of such…
Entering the era of limits and scarcity: The Radical Implications for Social Theory
The article argues that contemporary social theory has not recognized the significance of Limits to Growth. A global overshoot in resource consumption suggests we are at a dramatic turning point in human history, the end of the era of constant 'wealth' expansion and the beginning of an era of severe limits and scarcity. This has profound implications for critical social thought, and for addressing current social problems. Recognizing limits will …
An Anarchism for Today: The Simpler Way
A sustainable and just world cannot be achieved without enormous structural and cultural change. The argument presented below is that when our situation is understood in terms of resource and ecological limits, it is evident firstly that getting rid of capitalism is not sufficient. A satisfactory alternative society cannot be highly industrialised or centralised, and it must involve highly self-sufficient local economies and largely self-governin…
The Degrowth Movement from the Perspective of the Simpler Way
The emergence of the Degrowth movement in the last few years has been a remarkable development (Trainer 1985). For many decades a few have attempted to draw attention to the absurdity of growth, wi
Reply to David Schwartzman on the Simpler Way and Renewable Energy
David states that a global energy supply of 700 EJ/year, some 40 percent higher than at present, is desirable and can come from renewable sources. The supporting case referred to is only one analys
De-growth: Do you realise what it means
The Real Economy and the Bubble Economy
We recently received a very thoughtful letter from Ted Trainer, an Australian ecological socialist (author of Abandon Affluence! and Saving the Environment) who teaches at the University of New South Wales, asking us about the "surplus problem" and its relation to borrowing in the present economic crisis. We wrote a short reply with our answers. —Eds.This article can also be found at the Monthly Review website, where most recent articles are publ…
The “de-materialisation” myth
What does development mean? Arejection of the undimensional conception
Reports, following the UN’s 1996 ‘Human Development Report’, that the world’s poorest 1.6 billion people (one‐third of the world’s population) are growing poorer. Indicates two major lines of argument: first, that the more that resource distribution and development are left to market forces, the more resources will flow to the richer few; and, second, that it is totally impossible for Third World people to rise to the living standards typical of …
Two common mistakes about globalisation
Argues that two mistakes are evident in the critical literature on globalization. Cites the first as “globalization is a policy option that more humane or sensible leadership would have avoided”. States that it is the inevitable state to which capitalist development leads. Suggest that the other misconception is that “globalization could be acceptable if it took place in a socialist world society” and attempts to show that ecological consideratio…
Towards an Ecological Philosophy of Education
∗ The ecological predicament is of universal significance requiring urgent ‘focalisation’ by educational theorists and practitioners. If ever the term ‘grounded theory’ is to have a literal meaning, it has to do with the future of our planet and its inhabitants. The following article strikes beyond the bounds of current educational concerns and is an attempt at setting a crucial agenda so curiously neglected by socio‐cultural theorists of educati…
De-growth: Do you realise what it means
Remaking settlements for sustainability: The Simpler Way
In view of the global resource and ecological situation, per-capita resource consumption rates in the rich world probably need to be reduced by 90%. This can only be done if there is a "de-growth" transition to some kind of Simpler Way centered on mostly small, highly self-sufficient and self-governing communities in control of local economies within a culture that is not focused on material wealth. It is not surprising that the viability of such…
An Anarchism for Today: The Simpler Way
A sustainable and just world cannot be achieved without enormous structural and cultural change. The argument presented below is that when our situation is understood in terms of resource and ecological limits, it is evident firstly that getting rid of capitalism is not sufficient. A satisfactory alternative society cannot be highly industrialised or centralised, and it must involve highly self-sufficient local economies and largely self-governin…
Reply to David Schwartzman on the Simpler Way and Renewable Energy
David states that a global energy supply of 700 EJ/year, some 40 percent higher than at present, is desirable and can come from renewable sources. The supporting case referred to is only one analys
The “de-materialisation” myth
What does Degrowth mean? Some comments on Jason Hickel’s ‘A few points of clarification’
In a recent edition of Globalizations Jason Hickel made three main points towards clarifying the discussion of Degrowth. His contribution reinforced some important elements in the Degrowth claim, especially the fact that it is in no way to be identified with recession, and that there is a vast amount of evidence against the belief that growth of GDP can be decoupled from growth in resource consumption. However, I want to argue against his perspec…
The Degrowth Movement from the Perspective of the Simpler Way
The emergence of the Degrowth movement in the last few years has been a remarkable development (Trainer 1985). For many decades a few have attempted to draw attention to the absurdity of growth, wi
Towards an Ecological Philosophy of Education
∗ The ecological predicament is of universal significance requiring urgent ‘focalisation’ by educational theorists and practitioners. If ever the term ‘grounded theory’ is to have a literal meaning, it has to do with the future of our planet and its inhabitants. The following article strikes beyond the bounds of current educational concerns and is an attempt at setting a crucial agenda so curiously neglected by socio‐cultural theorists of educati…
What does development mean? Arejection of the undimensional conception
Reports, following the UN’s 1996 ‘Human Development Report’, that the world’s poorest 1.6 billion people (one‐third of the world’s population) are growing poorer. Indicates two major lines of argument: first, that the more that resource distribution and development are left to market forces, the more resources will flow to the richer few; and, second, that it is totally impossible for Third World people to rise to the living standards typical of …
Two common mistakes about globalisation
Argues that two mistakes are evident in the critical literature on globalization. Cites the first as “globalization is a policy option that more humane or sensible leadership would have avoided”. States that it is the inevitable state to which capitalist development leads. Suggest that the other misconception is that “globalization could be acceptable if it took place in a socialist world society” and attempts to show that ecological consideratio…
The “de-materialisation” myth
The Real Economy and the Bubble Economy
We recently received a very thoughtful letter from Ted Trainer, an Australian ecological socialist (author of Abandon Affluence! and Saving the Environment) who teaches at the University of New South Wales, asking us about the "surplus problem" and its relation to borrowing in the present economic crisis. We wrote a short reply with our answers. —Eds.This article can also be found at the Monthly Review website, where most recent articles are publ…
De-growth: Do you realise what it means
Reply to David Schwartzman on the Simpler Way and Renewable Energy
David states that a global energy supply of 700 EJ/year, some 40 percent higher than at present, is desirable and can come from renewable sources. The supporting case referred to is only one analys
The Degrowth Movement from the Perspective of the Simpler Way
The emergence of the Degrowth movement in the last few years has been a remarkable development (Trainer 1985). For many decades a few have attempted to draw attention to the absurdity of growth, wi
Remaking settlements for sustainability: The Simpler Way
In view of the global resource and ecological situation, per-capita resource consumption rates in the rich world probably need to be reduced by 90%. This can only be done if there is a "de-growth" transition to some kind of Simpler Way centered on mostly small, highly self-sufficient and self-governing communities in control of local economies within a culture that is not focused on material wealth. It is not surprising that the viability of such…
Entering the era of limits and scarcity: The Radical Implications for Social Theory
The article argues that contemporary social theory has not recognized the significance of Limits to Growth. A global overshoot in resource consumption suggests we are at a dramatic turning point in human history, the end of the era of constant 'wealth' expansion and the beginning of an era of severe limits and scarcity. This has profound implications for critical social thought, and for addressing current social problems. Recognizing limits will …
An Anarchism for Today: The Simpler Way
A sustainable and just world cannot be achieved without enormous structural and cultural change. The argument presented below is that when our situation is understood in terms of resource and ecological limits, it is evident firstly that getting rid of capitalism is not sufficient. A satisfactory alternative society cannot be highly industrialised or centralised, and it must involve highly self-sufficient local economies and largely self-governin…
De-growth: Some suggestions from the Simpler Way perspective
What does Degrowth mean? Some comments on Jason Hickel’s ‘A few points of clarification’
In a recent edition of Globalizations Jason Hickel made three main points towards clarifying the discussion of Degrowth. His contribution reinforced some important elements in the Degrowth claim, especially the fact that it is in no way to be identified with recession, and that there is a vast amount of evidence against the belief that growth of GDP can be decoupled from growth in resource consumption. However, I want to argue against his perspec…
A technical critique of the Green New Deal
On degrowth strategy: The Simpler Way perspective
The rapidly expanding degrowth literature has focused predominantly on the case for degrowth and its goals and much less attention has been given to how it might be achieved. The following discussion is not concerned to review the current state of the discussion and refers to it only in order to develop a case for a particular approach to degrowth strategy, that is, one deriving from the simpler way perspective on the global predicament. This foc…
Dramatically Reducing Resource and Ecological Impacts the Simpler Way: A Case Study
The quest for cleaner production usually focuses on better ways of producing to meet demand in existing society. However this study proceeds from a different perspective, I.e., from the belief that the solution to sustainability problems must involve transition to much simpler lifestyles and systems. The required degrowth is very large. The resulting radical implications for the form that sustainable society must take are outlined. The article pr…
Economics (14 works) · Sociology (10 works) · Sustainable Development and Environmental Policy (10 works) · Ecology (9 works) · Global Energy and Sustainability Research (8 works) · Political science (8 works) · Sustainability (8 works) · Neoclassical economics (7 works) · Computer Science (6 works) · Economic system (6 works)