Table Of ContentPALGRAVE STUDIES IN SUSTAINABILITY,
ENVIRONMENT AND MACROECONOMICS
The Sustainable
Development Theory:
A Critical Approach,
Volume 1
The Discourse of the Founders
Ion Pohoaţă · Delia Elena Diaconaşu ·
Vladimir Mihai Crupenschi
Palgrave Studies in Sustainability, Environment
and Macroeconomics
Series Editor
Ioana Negru
Department of Economics
SOAS University of London
London, UK
Most macroeconomic theory and policy is orientated towards promoting
economicgrowthwithoutdueconsiderationtonaturalresources,sustain-
abledevelopmentorgenderissues.Meanwhile,mosteconomistsconsider
environmental issues predominantly from a microeconomic perspective.
This series is a novel and original attempt to bridge these two major gaps
and pose questions such as: Is growth and sustainability compatible? Are
there limits to growth? What kind of macroeconomic theories and policy
are needed to green the economy?
Movingbeyondthelimitsofthestock-flowconsistentmodel,theseries
will contribute to understanding analytical and practical alternatives to
thecapitalisteconomyespeciallyundertheumbrellatermof“degrowth”.
It will aim to reflect the diversity of the degrowth literature, opening
up conceptual frameworks of economic alternatives—including feminist
politicalecology—ascriticalassessmentsofthecapitalistgrowtheconomy
from an interdisciplinary, pluricultural perspective.
The series invites monographs that take critical and holistic views of
sustainability by exploring new grounds that bring together progressive
political economists, on one hand, and ecological economists, on the
other. It brings in.
More information about this series at
http://www.palgrave.com/gp/series/15612
· ·
Ion Pohoat¸a˘ Delia Elena Diaconas¸u
Vladimir Mihai Crupenschi
The Sustainable
Development Theory:
A Critical Approach,
Volume 1
The Discourse of the Founders
Ion Pohoat¸a˘ Delia Elena Diaconas¸u
Alexandru Ioan Cuza University Alexandru Ioan Cuza University
Iasi, Romania Iasi, Romania
Vladimir Mihai Crupenschi
Alexandru Ioan Cuza University
Iasi, Romania
Palgrave Studies in Sustainability, Environment and Macroeconomics
ISBN 978-3-030-54846-9 ISBN 978-3-030-54847-6 (eBook)
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-54847-6
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Introduction
Since1987,whenthetermcameintoofficialuse,sustainabledevelopment
has come to define the spirit of the times. Generations separated by time
or profession, economists, philosophers, historians, sociologists, jurists,
biologists,engineers,NobelPrizelaureates,allthewaytogardenerswrite
or talk about sustainability. Too much has been said on the topic, while
the essence has been lost.
How is it that so much has been written about this important but arid
theme? How can we establish whether the paths of scientific knowledge
have been followed in this extensive literature? How and why would a
prestigiouspublisherlethimselfbepersuadedthatanotherdropcouldbe
added to this ocean of literature on sustainability, without the danger of
overflowing? What else could a new book on this matter say? Is it really
necessary?
We answer affirmatively to this last question, for at least three closely
related reasons:
Firstly, there is an acute need to restore depth and rigour to the topic
by reverting to its core. It springs mainly from economics and only later
acquires social and environmental accretions, which cloud its meaning.
Secondly, there is a need to simplify and clarify the key elements that
serve as a basis for development: economic growth, social harmony and
environmental conservation.
Thirdly, we are convinced that there are still unanswered questions
on the subject. An analysis that can bring objectivity is necessary; one in
v
vi INTRODUCTION
which strong and simple causalities retake centre stage; one that refuses
the shadowy places that elude and are served by predetermined truths.
We seek to discern the original truths through an extensive review of
existing literature and, mainly, through a return to the classical founders’
insightswhichhave been overtaken by contemporarydevelopments, and,
partly, to their neoclassical successors’ ideas. We do not intend to negate
concepts underpinning the current paradigm in the field of sustainable
development, but only to facilitate a return to the origins that gave them
meaning and relevance.
We have reason to believe that many truths have been removed from
the hardcore of economic science and even thrown beyond its protective
belt,toexpressourselvesinLakatosianterms.Thishashappenedinorder
tohideorservethosewhoseektoprofitfrommanipulatingtheeconomy.
Therefore, in line with the founders’ message, we seek to determine the
resortsofsustainability.Tracingknowntruthstotheiroriginalsource,we
willcomeupwithourowninterpretation.Wewanttoknowtheoriginsof
this subject, the appropriate methods to study it and the potential bene-
ficiaries of such an analysis. Who has the right to diagnose sustainability,
andwhoisinchargeofvalidatingtheconclusionsthatdefineit?Onwhat
foundingprinciplescanweleanontofindouttodaywhatissustainability
when the national economy could be conceived to belong to you only de
jure and not de facto. Moreover, what and how do you transmit some-
thing to future generations? For example, there are those who believe
that the USSR had a balanced and promising development, but that its
sustainability was compromised just because creative destruction avoided
it.Whatdowesaytothosewhomakethedistributionofwealththealpha
and omega of their discourse about sustainability, forgetting that wealth
mustfirstbeproduced?Whatarethechancesandwhatisthewayforward
to get rid of absolute poverty? Do we dialogue with Nobel Prize winners
or do we take them at their word, accepting unquestioningly their scien-
tificofferings?And,ultimately,fromwhomdowelearnwhatsustainability
really is?
The analysis is conducted within the confines of two volumes, “broth-
ers”ofthesamestructureofideas.Thefirstvolume“speaks”thelanguage
of the founders. By exploring known but less exploited places, but also
unknown ones, we map the core and the boundaries of a splendid lesson
on sustainability, as it was originally intended.
INTRODUCTION vii
Inthesecondvolume,weaskandanswerthefollowingquestion:What
are the contemporaries doing with the ideational dowry of sustainability
inherited from the founders?
The two volumes are relatively thematically autonomous. Yet, we
believethatonlybyreadingbothofthemcanonegraspadeepermeaning
and achieve a sense of completeness. This way we reveal the difference
between what sustainability is and what it could be.
Contents
1 The Avatars of Sustainability: A Necessary
Prolegomenon 1
2 The Classical Discourse—From Start-Up to Harmony.
What Is Sustainable About It? 33
3 Institutionalism Drawn Upon Founding
and Sustainable Roots 73
4 Economic Dynamics According to the Thoughts
of the Founders 105
5 The Convoluted Sustainability of the Neoclassical
Discourse 139
6 Free Competition: An Invitation to a Less Explored
Type of Sustainability 169
7 Instead of General Conclusions—A Few Additional
Thoughts 205
Index 223
ix
CHAPTER 1
The Avatars of Sustainability: A Necessary
Prolegomenon
1.1 Why Looking Back to the Founders?
Why is it necessary to employ the founders’ support for a better, fairer
and simpler understanding of sustainable development? Various reasons
are discussed in the following paragraphs.
First of all, their framework for analysis is clear, logical and well-
articulated.Thedivisionoflabourandhumancooperationgivessubstance
to this framework, and through them, almost everything is explained:
exchange, money, equilibrium and social harmony. The reality of the
classical founders’ world is a contradictory one, socially and economi-
cally. Their economic and social harmony is dynamic, with rich and poor
changingplaces,efficientlyorotherwise,dependingonhowtheyusetheir
minds and hands. Good practices (Smithian institutions) respected by
economicactors,thegovernmentinparticular,providesupportforunder-
standingtheseedsofeconomicresilience.Thisresilienceissustainedbya
smallbutpowerfulgovernment,withajobdescriptioninaccordancewith
the conception of Smith and Bastiat, summed up under two main head-
ings: freedom and security. The role of domestic education as a natural
institution regarded by Smith as a creative activity and the role of profit
andproductiveworkinsustainingeconomicdynamics,allwithsupportin
private ownership, reject any contemporary approach that would pursue
sustainabilitybeyondthefreemarketeconomy.Classicaleconomiststellus
© The Author(s) 2020 1
I. Pohoat¸a˘ et al., The Sustainable Development Theory: A Critical
Approach, Volume 1, Palgrave Studies in Sustainability,
Environment and Macroeconomics,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-54847-6_1
