| The Bridge at the Edge of the World: Capitalism, the Environment, and Crossing from Crisis to Sustainability | 
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Avg. Customer Rating:   (based on 12 reviews)
Sales Rank: 4219
Category: Book
Author: James Gustave Speth
Publisher: Yale University Press
Studio: Yale University Press
Manufacturer: Yale University Press
Label: Yale University Press
Languages: English (Original Language), English (Unknown), English (Published)
Media: Hardcover
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 320
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1
Dimensions (in): 8.4 x 5.7 x 1.1
ISBN: 0300136110
Dewey Decimal Number: 333.7
EAN: 9780300136111
ASIN: 0300136110
Publication Date: March 28, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
How serious are the threats to our environment? Here is one measure of the problem: if we continue to do exactly what we are doing, with no growth in the human population or the world economy, the world in the latter part of this century will be unfit to live in. Of course human activities are not holding at current levels?they are accelerating, dramatically?and so, too, is the pace of climate disruption, biotic impoverishment, and toxification. In this book Gus Speth, author of Red Sky at Morning and a widely respected environmentalist, begins with the observation that the environmental community has grown in strength and sophistication, but the environment has continued to decline, to the point that we are now at the edge of catastrophe. Speth contends that this situation is a severe indictment of the economic and political system we call modern capitalism. Our vital task is now to change the operating instructions for today?s destructive world economy before it is too late. The book is about how to do that.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 7 more reviews...
 Challenging overview and critique of possible solutions to our environmental problems December 31, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
James Gustave Speth's book supplies a surprisingly radical critique of our current economic system as undermining the environment. I say surprisingly because Speth is currently the Dean of the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, and therefore Speth is part of the establishment. The book is clearly a call from the heart. Speth has a long background as the leader or founder of various environmental groups, and the book reads as if he is trying to sum up what he has learned from his entire career about the nature of our environmental problems.
In the process of providing his radical critique, Speth also provides a useful summary of current environmental problems, their causes, and the limitations of current solutions. Part I of the book presents evidence that despite some environmental progress, there remain numerous environmental problems that are getting worse. Foremost among these problems is global warming. Part I also argues that our current form of capitalism embraces growth without adequate restrictions to prevent these global environmental problems. Our current form of capitalism where possible uses its political power to block or evade such restrictions. Speth also argues that the current approach of environmentalism, which focuses on trying to get rational governmental environmental agencies to enact sound environmental regulations, has shown itself to be inadequate in addressing some of the most pressing environmental problems. Environmentalism needs to address more the causes of our environmental problems in our economic system, our political system, and our cultural attitudes towards consumption and growth.
Parts II and III consider a wide range of possible solutions to this conflict between our current economic system and what Speth sees as the environment heading towards the abyss of environmental destruction, in order to find the title's "Bridge at the Edge of the World" over this abyss. These solutions begin at the modestly reformist and then consider increasingly radical and more comprehensive transformations of our current society. Among the solutions considered are: seriously implementing environmental economics and "getting the prices right" (chapter 4); restricting overall economic growth or at least physical throughput (chapter 5); refocusing economic growth and economic development on the social investments that will really make people happy (chapter 6); reconsidering consumption and materialism (chapter 7); restructuring the rules governing corporations (chapter 8); considering alternatives to corporations (chapter 9); transforming cultural attitudes towards growth and the environment (chapter 10); dramatically restructuring how politics is conducted (chapter 11).
In my view, compared to other writing on economics and the environment, Speth's strongest contribution is his critique of the conventional environmental economics approach to environmental problems. Many other environmental advocates, such as Bill McKibben, simply ignore environmental economics and its proposed solutions. Speth gives a useful and fair summary of how environmental economics seeks solutions to environmental problems that will try to get the "prices right" so that all economic actors have the right incentive to adequately protect the environment, and so that such protection can be achieved at minimum economic costs. Speth admits that if we could "get the prices right", this would in theory solve the conflict between the economy and the environment. What, then, is his critique of this solution? First, he ultimately is skeptical that "getting the prices" right is really consistent with anything close to our current levels of economic growth. He essentially argues that if the prices were right, it is hard to believe that we could lower environmental damage per dollar of GDP fast enough to allow for GDP growth of close to current levels. Therefore, we need to move beyond environmental economics to dealing with our economic and political and cultural systems' attitudes towards economic growth and consumption. Second, Speth is cynical about whether our current political system, given prevailing cultural attitudes and the power of large corporations, will ever "get the prices right". This inclines him towards more radical reforms of the economy and political system. Whether you agree with
Speth or not, he brings up arguments that should be seriously considered.
It is perhaps unsurprising that Speth's discussion of more radical transformations is not as compelling. Capitalism has been an enormously successful system in producing many benefits, and it is difficult to envision detailed radical reforms that are workable. For example, the biggest issue with all of Speth's proposals for radically restructuring corporations, or creating employee owned businesses or co-ops as alternatives to corporations is, where do get the capital to finance such enterprises? Capitalism has a well-developed system of using profit incentives to generate capital formation. It is not clear what Speth's alternative method would be to generate capital formation.
Overall, the book provides a good overview of many current issues in the relationship between our current economic system and the environment. The book apparently grew out of a course that Speth offered at Yale. Each chapter extensively quotes from various readings on the chapter's topics; in each chapter, it is almost as if you can hear Speth discussing the readings assigned for that week's classes. I believe the book could be very usefully used in many church and civic groups or book groups as a basis for understanding and debating how best to address our current environmental challenges.
Sobering facts on the state of the planet November 12, 2008
An Ivy League dean trained as a lawyer, James Gustave Speth lays out evidence to show that life on this planet is being pushed to an end. Marshalling sobering facts, he illustrates how humankind has taxed the Earth's resources beyond its capacity to regenerate. By creating a culture that worships consumption, capitalism has combined with political self-interest and misguided policies to hasten the environment's demise. An international community of scientists has provided staggering proof of global warming, yet U.S. political leaders have denied the problem and delayed action. Speth worked to protect the environment within the bureaucracy's sanctioned processes for years, but he now concludes that the environmental movement launched in the 1970s is a failure. He urges citizens and leaders to readjust their priorities. He also advocates public policies that provide financial incentives for sustainable practices, and says governments should hold corporations accountable for the true environmental costs of their products. getAbstract recommends this book to readers who are interested in economics and social trends, and who want their great-grandchildren to live here - on this planet.
 Speth is better than a mere "critic". October 9, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Speth provides a critique of western social, economic and political models. While explaining the very real dangers of sustaining the present trend what is even more important is his ability to convey hope and a vision of what we might be able to achieve rather than mere doom-saying and. This is an important lesson critics of all political stripes need to learn - its not enough to warn of the impending disaster, its a vision of the future and how to get there that is the stuff that political change is made of. Martin Luther King Jr. nailed this when he offered up the phrase: "I have a dream ..." Speth also has a dream and he provides a rational, workable way to achieve it.
The view on this bridge is inspiring. September 2, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
The view from the Bridge at the Edge of the World is inspiring. Dean Speth offers hope if you are willing to work hard to make the world a better place for humans and all other life. He challenges the cultural values that lead us to avarice and greed and insists that we can do better, we can do much better. We can rise up to become proper stewards of the Earth.
As a four decade environmentalist he is disappointed with the limited successes of the environmental movement. The movement has not even held its ground though it has won a few hard-fought battles. Dean Speth is a lawyer and educator who is dedicated to keeping humans from fouling the planet so that it is no longer viable to life as we know it. His foes have been greedy capitalists and corrupt politicians. He raises an important question about America, are we more in love with democracy or more in love with capitalism. The United States Constitution honors democratic rule but does not place the capitalist dogma above democracy.
I agree with Dean Speth that this is a tough battle facing those who desire to change our values so we again love democracy as much as we did during the Revolutionary War. Speth suggests that those who cannot see the view from his imaginary bridge are unable to see the best future available for humanity. Those who cannot see this view are destined to continue along the path that is now destroying the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the soil that grows our food. Those without the vision to see from this bridge are taking us down a dangerous path that spells catatrophic results.
Purchase this book. Study the extensive footnotes. Give a copy to a friend who also loves democracy more than capitalism.
excellent discussion of environmental crisis and role of capitalism August 10, 2008
4 out of 5 found this review helpful
The Bridge at the Edge of the World, by James Gustave Speth, is begins with an excellent review of the depth and immediacy of the environmental crisis that faces humanity. The initial graphs give a clear and sobering pictorial representation of the the growing calamity. Paper use, water consumption, species extinction, ozone depletion, CO2 concentration - all of these are on the rise along with our increasing population.
Speth lays out the argument that our overuse of the finite resources of the planet is driven by our increasing population and our economic systems which reward expansion. His descriptions and explanations are solid and well-referenced.
After laying out the problems, Professor Speth reviews some potential solutions. I was intrigued to read about "Promoting the Well-Being of People and Nature" rather than a continuing along our current paradigm of promoting the interests of huge corporations.
Speth proposes changing the fundamental legal frameworks that regulate corporations, thus making them more accountable to the long-term needs of the citizenry and generations to come. This is a fairly radical idea, but the author lays out his arguments very clearly and with deep support.
Still furthering his discussion of solutions, Speth discusses "a new consciousness" that we could achieve to view each other and our planet's resources in a whole new way. This discussion could have turned into new-age drivel, but Speth manages to keep the discussion rational and he reviews several examples of movements which have succeeded - e.g. the antislavery movement of the mid-1800s in the US and the civil rights movement in the same country.
In summary, this is a dense and far-ranging book. Unlike many other current environmental books, Speth points an accusing finger at capitalism as a major contributor to our crisis. He ends, though, with a thoughtful review of some potential solutions and pathways to avoid our drift into the abyss.
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