The environmental perspective arose in Europe out of an aristocratic background, and it continues to be swayed by that history. From Thomas Malthus, economics inherited a very strong sense of the scarcity of nature. Since common lands in England were under the control of aristocrats, they considered it their mission to preserve nature for the enjoyment of future generations of aristocratic families. Almost every nature program on television promotes this worldview of pristine nature being damaged by the activities of common people and being preserved by the nobility. The story of Robin Hood emerged as a counter-narrative, but the economics profession turned it into a morality lesson that celebrates the sheriff of Nottingham.

This 10-session course will examine how the aristocratic perspective persists as the shadow side of environmental economics in its treatment of common property, the valuation of natural goods, the treatment of people as costs or sources of destruction, an urban bias that denigrates rural life, an indifference to both equity and efficiency, and the critique of economic growth. The course will also analyze how Georgism can serve as the antidote by democratizing claims to nature. The course will further highlight the work of early thinkers like Aldo Leopold and their perception of nature as something of intrinsic value that transcends human ambitions.

The instructor, Clifford Cobb is the thematic editor of the American Journal of Economics and Sociology. He is best known as the developer of the Genuine Progress Indicator, published by the San Francisco organization, Redefining Progress.

Dates: Mondays – 3/03, 3/10, 3/17, 3/24, 3/31, 4/07, 4/14, 4/28, 5/12, 5/19

Time: 6:30 PM – 8:00 PM ET

Location: Online via Zoom

The classic idea of a healthy and thriving market economy is that within each market there are buyers and sellers that can all buy and sell things from whomever they want. Capitalism, we are taught, is all about competition, freedom and choice where firms act normally as price takers, not price setters. In many markets, however, the reality today is different. Powerful corporations are leveraging technology to systematically create chokepoints by locking in buyers and sellers, stifling competition, and eventually using their market dominance to squeeze out more than a fair share of value. Using the work of Rebecca Giblin and Cory Doctorow as reference, Dr. Marty Rowland introduces us to the latest heresy of capitalism and discusses solutions inspired by Georgism.

Instructor: Dr. Marty Rowland

Dates: Wednesdays – 4/09, 4/16, 4/23, 4/30, 5/07, 5/14, 5/21

Time: 6:30 PM – 7:30 PM ET

Location: Online via Zoom