(mis)quotation. The words: "Anyone who believes exponential growth can go on forever in a finite world is either a madman or an economist" have been attributed to the economist Kenneth Boulding, who died in 1993. (The fact that he was an economist makes it funnier, I think.) I can't find a source for it, but it's certainly a quotation that's been around for quite a while. As have ideas about no-growth economies. Herman Daly has been writing about them since the early 1970s, and plenty of others (including Tim Jackson and others associated with the New Economics Foundation) have been giving them plenty of serious thought since then. So if the models are still only nascent, why would that be? Jonathanrowson Thanks Curianth- that's informative, and I hope I didn't sound like I had just discovered something new- I know this is old turf. I just didn't really have a position on it before, and for me it was a revelation to learn more about the structure of the economy that makes growth seem like an imperative(emphasis on labour productivity for instance). I remember reading Buddhist Economics by Schumacher about a decade ago and not really 'getting it'- I think I'll return to that now. Jonathanrowson Just noticed your last question again- it's a good question- what's your answer? My guess is that like any economic model, the reality will always be somewhat different....so without practical feedback it is hard for a model to look fully credible/believable...it might also be