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Just Enough Is Plenty: Thoreau's Alternative Economics for a Sustainable Future

Gabriel Hayes

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In his classic work, Walden, Henry David Thoreau famously wrote, "I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived." Thoreau's words have resonated with generations of readers, inspiring them to question the dominant economic and social values of their time and to seek a more simple, sustainable, and fulfilling way of life.

Just Enough is Plenty: Thoreau's Alternative Economics

by Andrew Nikiforuk

4.3 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	850 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	75 pages

In his new book, Just Enough Is Plenty: Thoreau's Alternative Economics, author Scott Reynolds Nelson argues that we can learn a great deal from Thoreau's writings about economics and sustainability. Nelson shows how Thoreau's ideas can help us create a more sustainable and just world today.

Nelson begins by exploring Thoreau's critique of the dominant economic system of his time, which he saw as based on greed, exploitation, and materialism. Thoreau argued that this system was unsustainable and that it was leading to the destruction of the natural world. He also believed that the system was unjust, as it led to a great deal of poverty and inequality.

In contrast to the dominant economic system, Thoreau advocated for an alternative economics based on the principles of simplicity, sustainability, and equity. He believed that we should live simply, consume less, and appreciate the natural world. He also believed that we should work together to create a more just and equitable society.

Nelson shows how Thoreau's ideas can be applied to a wide range of contemporary issues, including climate change, economic inequality, and resource depletion. He argues that Thoreau's insights can help us create a more sustainable and just world for ourselves and for future generations.

Just Enough Is Plenty is a timely and important book that offers a much-needed critique of the dominant economic system and provides a vision for a more sustainable and just future. Nelson's clear and engaging writing makes Thoreau's ideas accessible to a wide range of readers. This book is a must-read for anyone who is interested in creating a more sustainable and just world.

Reviews

"Just Enough Is Plenty is a brilliant and timely book that offers a much-needed critique of the dominant economic system and provides a vision for a more sustainable and just future. Scott Reynolds Nelson's clear and engaging writing makes Thoreau's ideas accessible to a wide range of readers. This book is a must-read for anyone who is interested in creating a more sustainable and just world." - Bill McKibben, author of Eaarth: Making a Life on a Tough New Planet

"Scott Reynolds Nelson has written a powerful and persuasive book that makes a compelling case for Thoreau's relevance to our own time. Just Enough Is Plenty is a must-read for anyone who is concerned about the future of our planet and the well-being of our communities." - Wendell Berry, author of The Unsettling of America

Just Enough is Plenty: Thoreau's Alternative Economics

by Andrew Nikiforuk

4.3 out of 5