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Kenneth Ewart Boulding: Economics and Ecology

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Headstrong and Unorthodox Pioneers for a Critical Theory of Consumption

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Abstract

Kenneth Ewart Boulding – beginning in the early 1930s – almost completely rethought economics and consumption against the prevailing doctrine in parts. His critical analyses and contributions to economics are still relevant today and point the way for reflection and further development of consumption theory, but this is hardly noticed in the scientific community. Therefore, in this article selected elements of Bouldingnomics from a manageable number of publications on economics, consumption and nature-environment are compiled and commented on. Boulding’s understanding of the economic process: consumption and production, of actors: consumers and firms, of the economy: market economy and non-market economy, of the basic organization: private household, and of alternative styles of economic activity: cowboy economy versus spaceship economy are outlined. Finally, a résumé is presented to summarize the main findings and to promote a rethinking of conventional consumption and consumer theory.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Universität Bonn, Bonn, Germany

    Michael-Burkhard Piorkowsky

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  1. Michael-Burkhard Piorkowsky
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Correspondence to Michael-Burkhard Piorkowsky .

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  1. Universität Bonn, Bonn, Germany

    Michael-Burkhard Piorkowsky

  2. Österreichischer Verbraucherrat, Wien, Austria

    Karl Kollmann

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Piorkowsky, MB. (2023). Kenneth Ewart Boulding: Economics and Ecology. In: Piorkowsky, MB., Kollmann, K. (eds) Headstrong and Unorthodox Pioneers for a Critical Theory of Consumption. Springer, Wiesbaden. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-658-42050-5_5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-658-42050-5_5

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