T. Jackson et N. Marks, Consumption, sustainable welfare and human needs - with reference to UK expenditure patterns between 1954 and 1994, ECOL ECON, 28(3), 1999, pp. 421-441
This paper explores the complex relationship between economic consumption a
nd human welfare (or well-being). Conventional economics suggests that incr
easing levels of economic consumption lead to increasing levels of well-bei
ng. However, this view has been criticised on both environmental and social
grounds. On the one hand, the material impacts of increasing consumption a
re environmentally unsustainable. On the other hand, material consumption c
an conflict with crucial social and psychological components of human welfa
re. This paper develops a perspective on human welfare which is based on Ma
x-Neef's characterisation of human needs. It discusses the implications of
this alternative perspective for the conventional viewpoint and illustrates
the importance of it with reference to patterns of consumer expenditure in
the UK over the last 40 years. The authors suggest that-from this perspect
ive-modern societies may be seriously adrift in their pursuit of human well
-being. However, they also point out that addressing this situation provide
s far more opportunity for ecologically-sustainable development than is gen
erally recognised. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.