Small businesses have difficulty getting capital for start-up or expansion. Economists tell us to hold on, we'll reap the benefits of growth soon enough. Perhaps, but there been many periods of simultaneous high GNP per capita and high unemployment. And some private-sector growth is the result of unproductive activity such as leveraged buyouts, currency speculation and real estate deals. The prevailing logic is that productive growth follows consumer spending.
Some jobs harm the environment, others harm the human soul.
There are those who argue we are moving to a new economy, from an industrial age to an information age. In the meantime, we suspect most people will continue to buy real, not virtual, stuff. We certainly don't have all the answers, and we only have space to superficially touch on these suggestions. We know there are no simple solutions. Learn more by checking out our recommended readings .