Nikos Chrysogelos, MEP, “caught” reading for “Get Caught Reading”

I chose Tim Jackson’s book titled Prosperity without Growth. In this book an alternative way of approaching values and economic thinking is being presented, says Mr Nikos Chrysogelos, Member of the European Parliament, Vice-Chair of the Committee on Regional Development, for the “Get Caught Reading” campaign.
We grew up believing that Economic growth is supposed to deliver prosperity. Higher incomes should mean better choices, richer lives, an improved quality of life for us all. That at least has been the conventional wisdom so far. But things haven’t always turned out this way. What I particularly liked in that book is that the author writes exactly why we need to follow an alternative path in order to exit the crisis. A multidimensional, multilevel crisis which includes our economy, our society, our political priorities our environment, added Mr Chrysogelos.

This book identifies a big challenge on how we go about changing a prevailing economic system, capitalism, based on constant growth when we live in a world with limited resources. It takes a look at the big picture, in other words the book summarises the evidence showing that, beyond a certain point, growth does not increase human wellbeing. Prosperity without Growth analyses the complex relationships between growth, environmental crises and social recession. It proposes a route to a sustainable economy, and argues for a redefinition of ‘prosperity’ in light of the evidence on what really contributes to people’s wellbeing, said also Nikos Chrysogelos.