Proposed alternatives to GDP as a measure of social welfare or human progress are briefly evaluated. Four main categories are considered, namely ISEW and GPI based on corrections of GDP, sustainable or green(ed) GDP, genuine savings/investments and composite indexes. All these alternatives turn...

A central issue in the study of sustainable development is the interplay of growth and sacrifice in a dynamic economy. This paper investigates the relationship among current consumption, sacrifice, and sustainability improvement in a general context and in two canonical, stylized economies. We...

This paper contends that National Income Accounts (NIA) saving rates have been sending out misleading signals about the U.S. economy in the 1980s. The individuals' saving rate from the flow-of-funds accounts (FFA) is shown to be a much better indicator of resources available for future economic...