Degrowth through Income and Wealth Caps?
(2019) In Ecological Economics p.264-271- Abstract
- In the degrowth literature, maximum caps on wealth and/or income are frequently mentioned among the policy instruments that could support transitions towards ecologically and socially sustainable societies. Yet an in-depth discussion of concrete policy proposals has yet to be initiated. To facilitate such a discussion, the present paper reviews several proposals for placing caps on wealth and/or income. Some of these proposals consider environmental limits, others focus exclusively on social inequality. The paper moreover raises various critical issues concerning the introduction of maximum caps on wealth and income in a degrowth context, discussing the role of the state, the impact on economic growth and the risk of emigration of... (More)
- In the degrowth literature, maximum caps on wealth and/or income are frequently mentioned among the policy instruments that could support transitions towards ecologically and socially sustainable societies. Yet an in-depth discussion of concrete policy proposals has yet to be initiated. To facilitate such a discussion, the present paper reviews several proposals for placing caps on wealth and/or income. Some of these proposals consider environmental limits, others focus exclusively on social inequality. The paper moreover raises various critical issues concerning the introduction of maximum caps on wealth and income in a degrowth context, discussing the role of the state, the impact on economic growth and the risk of emigration of high-skilled employees and capital flight. We conclude that while, in an ecologically constrained world, there is an argument for imposing limits on wealth and income above a certain level, it is crucial not to dictate such policies as mere top-down measures but to develop and deliberate them in democratic forums. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/aaea1576-b272-4197-946f-ed4e2e7ae1a2
- author
- Buch-Hansen, Hubert and Koch, Max LU
- organization
- publishing date
- 2019-04-09
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- Degrowth, inequalities, Maximum income, Caps on wealth, eco-social policies
- in
- Ecological Economics
- issue
- 160
- pages
- 264 - 271
- publisher
- Elsevier
- external identifiers
-
- scopus:85062811677
- ISSN
- 0921-8009
- project
- Sustainable Welfare for a New Generation of Social Policy
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- aaea1576-b272-4197-946f-ed4e2e7ae1a2
- alternative location
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0921800918314836
- date added to LUP
- 2019-03-15 07:31:45
- date last changed
- 2022-04-25 21:47:43
@article{aaea1576-b272-4197-946f-ed4e2e7ae1a2,
abstract = {{In the degrowth literature, maximum caps on wealth and/or income are frequently mentioned among the policy instruments that could support transitions towards ecologically and socially sustainable societies. Yet an in-depth discussion of concrete policy proposals has yet to be initiated. To facilitate such a discussion, the present paper reviews several proposals for placing caps on wealth and/or income. Some of these proposals consider environmental limits, others focus exclusively on social inequality. The paper moreover raises various critical issues concerning the introduction of maximum caps on wealth and income in a degrowth context, discussing the role of the state, the impact on economic growth and the risk of emigration of high-skilled employees and capital flight. We conclude that while, in an ecologically constrained world, there is an argument for imposing limits on wealth and income above a certain level, it is crucial not to dictate such policies as mere top-down measures but to develop and deliberate them in democratic forums.}},
author = {{Buch-Hansen, Hubert and Koch, Max}},
issn = {{0921-8009}},
keywords = {{Degrowth; inequalities; Maximum income; Caps on wealth; eco-social policies}},
language = {{eng}},
month = {{04}},
number = {{160}},
pages = {{264--271}},
publisher = {{Elsevier}},
series = {{Ecological Economics}},
title = {{Degrowth through Income and Wealth Caps?}},
url = {{https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0921800918314836}},
year = {{2019}},
}