"Growth, investment, development, competitiveness,
free trade - these aspects of the market system are powerful political symbols,
and for those who are captives of the symbolism of the market, to question the
growth project is a form of blasphemy"
-Clive Hamilton (1998: 29)
Having half the world being economically developed by pre twentieth
century, world production of goods and services has increased dramatically. A
four/five fold expansion of the global economy over the next 50 years is
expected. (World Resources Institute, 2000) The classical theory of producing
more would increase the standard of living must be reviewed. Commonly now, this
economic growth is referred to as the theory or concept of development. Progress
from a traditional to a modern society is sought after by nations which are
"universal [in] general backwardness, economic unresponsiveness, and lack
of enterprise". (Bauer in Cole, 1999:167) Although a large proportion of
humanity has benefited from the Industrial Revolution economically and perhaps
socially, Gaia is suffering. Does there still need to be a fixation of economic
growth? Both the developed and developing nations are still entranced by this
corrupt concept. Development must be seen as being sustainable.