Doughnut Economics | Book by Kate Raworth

If you’re trying to figure out how we can live sustainability, Doughnut Economics is a fantastic place to start. It breaks down many of the myths of mainstream economics and lays out the honest reality of what humanity is currently facing — environmental catastrophe, rising inequality. And it presents an alternative, focused on remaining within the Earth’s natural boundaries (think climate change, water degradation) whilst providing every person with their basic needs (education, food, water…).

Although the focus is economics, Kate Raworth’s ideas aren’t limited to the economic — she draws from a wide range of disciplines, ranging from network theory to psychology. And it seems to me that this is the way of thinking that the 21st century needs — cross-disciplinary thinking, escaping from intellectual silos. Ultimately we’re an embedded part of Earth’s ecosystem — we’re not above or separate from the environment. If we think about economics in a narrow way, ignoring our effects on the environment, we’re asking for trouble.

If you’re an economist, you may well think that these ideas sound dubious — the standard economic solution to environmental problems is to let the market fix them. But I’d implore you to give the book a chance, because it makes some very strong arguments.

Now my challenge is to figure out how these ideas mesh with the ideas of Paul Mason’s Postcapitalism. The two books share many ideas, but they choose a slightly different perspective. I’d love to hear your thoughts via social media!

If you’d like to learn more before you commit to the book, I wrote a brief intro post on Doughnut Economics when I first came across the idea. And I’d definitely recommend checking out Kate Raworth’s TEDx Talk because it introduces the key ideas and arguments in a clear way.