Concepts Quote by Noam Chomsky
“Growth is a funny sort of concept. For example, our GNP increases every time we build a prison. Well, okay, it’s growth in a sense...”
About This Quote
Source Lecture: Economic Growth Critique, 2015
Growth metrics can be misleading, as illustrated by prison construction boosting GNP.
In simple terms: Growth isn’t always positive.
Key Takeaway
Question what growth truly means.
Themes
economics
environment
ethics
Mood
critical
analytical
Type
academic
political
When to use this quote
- policy making
- urban planning
- environmental assessment
- social justice
Key Concepts
GDP critique
social impact
Questions to Reflect On
- How should we measure true progress?
- What alternatives exist to GDP?
A Different Perspective
Economic growth may have indirect benefits.
![“I wrote an article about the marine landing [in Haiti] right away, but barely mentioned the oil, because my article would come out two months later and I assumed by then, "of course, everybody knows." Nobody knew. There was a news report in the Wall Street Journal, in the petroleum journals, and…” quote by Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/dc5/noam-chomsky-42_articles_i-wrote-an-article-about-the-marine-land_13341.jpg)
