ECONOMICS FOR PEOPLE

Saturday 15 MAY 2021 9am – 5pm

Central Auckland

TUTORS – Finn Mackesy

“An economic structure is sustainable when it regenerates order, stability, health, self-worth, social structure, and ecosystem richness and viability” (Robert Thayer). In this workshop participants will explore the relationship between economics and human culture. Participants will learn about the nature of economics, history of the dominant global economic system, risks to the financial system, and alternative economic models relevant for the 21st century. This context will enable students to explore economic models that actively regenerate all forms of capital (natural, built, social, cultural and financial) in the Auckland bioregion. This workshop is ideal for social entrepreneurs, community development workers, small business owners and anyone intrigued about how the planet’s impending limits to growth will likely influence economic systems and the quality of our and future generations’ lives.

COURSE CONTENT

Introduction to – The nature of economics with regard to growth, ecology and energy; Types of capital; Money, currency and debt; Economic solutions including local and bioregional economic development, degrowth, social enterprises, local currencies, interest free money, alternative trade and exchange models, and informal economic systems.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

• Develop an understanding of key economic concepts such as ecosystem services, capital, wealth, debt, money, and development
• Develop an understanding of the risks associated with the current global economic system
• Develop an understanding of alternative effective local trade and exchange models and systems
• Identify opportunities and challenges to applying the day’s learning
• Apply these concepts in personal decision making

LINKS + REFERENCE MATERIAL

• Limits to Growth: A report for the Club of Rome’s project on the predicament of mankind – PDF – 43MB
  DONELLA MEADOWS et al., 1972
• The Ecology of Money
  RICHARD DOUTHWAITE, 2000
• Living Economies
• Prosperity without Growth
  TIM JACKSON, 2009
• The Nature of Economies
  JANE JACOBS, 2000
• Local Money
  PETER NORTH, 2010
• Sacred Economics
  CHARLES EISENSTEIN, 2011
• Local Dollars, Local Sense
  MICHAEL SHUMAN, 2012