“From our research we learned that the single most decisive component of someone being happy or unhappy is the sense of meaning.” – why growth fetish can be a wrong way of thinking and what it has to do with neo-liberalism.

Dr. Clive Hamilton, Founder & Executive Director, The Australia Institute for a just, sustainable peaceful future, Canberra, Australia

“Economic growth means better lives for us all. But after many years of sustained economic growth and increased personal incomes we must confront an awful fact: we aren't any happier.” – This is one of Clive’s statements in his book “Growth Fetish”. With The Australia Institute that he founded in 1994, he provides the space to develop and communicate alternative ideas and scenarios in Australia. His group conducts research, studies and surveys as well as actively contributes to public discussions.
Clive argues that, far from being the answer to our problems, growth fetishism and the marketing society lie at the heart of our social ills. They have corrupted our social priorities and political structures, and have created a profound sense of alienation among young and old. “Private markets, while effective at encouraging efficiency in many circumstances, frequently fail to reflect adequately the ethical, social and environmental priorities of the community.” – continues the book.
It is a great experience to talk to Clive, a man who took quite a while in his career to find out what he really wants to be doing and what gives him satisfaction. Neither his teaching nor government job gave him the kind of satisfaction that he has found now through the contribution to topics like “downshifting”, measures of well-being or alternatives to growth.

Enjoy reading selected thoughts and statements of our discussion with Clive in the quotations below. You may be able to read more about his innovative and non-mainstream thinking in our book “MyImpact”.

Dr. Clive Hamilton’s selected quotations:
“We conduct a lot of research, empirical surveys on focus group interviews. For example, 23% of Australian said that they had voluntarily reduced their income to spend more time on things that match their values and are more meaningful for them. They thought before that they were exceptions and then realized that they were part of a trend."

"Downshifting does not necessarily mean less work but rather more fulfilling work even if it pays less."

"I have always recognized the power of ideas rather than power alone."

"My vision is a wellbeing society, a society that measures national wellbeing rather than GDP."

“We need a politics that encourages people to pursue a rich life instead of a life of riches.”

"Vis-à-vis developing countries we should not push the neo-liberal model but rather demonstrate that we have learned the lesson and that there are alternatives."

"From our research we learned that the single most decisive component of someone being happy or unhappy is a sense of meaning in their lives."

"If you believe in the consumerism message, you will be unhappy."

“We are not allowed to point out that advertising, and the pervasive commercialization of everyday life, influences ordinary citizens to behave in ways that are contrary to their interests.”

“The greatest danger to consumer capitalism is the possibility that people in wealthy countries will decide that they have more or less everything they need.”

“In reality economic growth can be sustained only as long as people remain discontented. Economic growth does not create happiness: unhappiness sustains economic growth.”

"Everybody has to find what they are meant to do and then do it. As in my case, it may take a while."

"What I enjoy most is not running a think tank but developing and writing about ideas, making people think and change their lives. The think tank is the means."

"It's great to see people changing their lives because of my ideas, even though it sometimes makes me a little nervous."

“Our houses are bigger than ever, but our families are smaller. Our kids go to the best schools we can afford, but we hardly see them. We've got more money to spend, yet we're further in debt than ever before. What is going on?”

“The Western world is in the grip of a consumption binge that is unique in human history. We aspire to the lifestyles of the rich and famous at the cost of family, friends and personal fulfilment. Rates of stress, depression and obesity are up as we wrestle with the emptiness and endless disappointments of the consumer life.”

“In a post-growth society, the measures of achievement will tend to focus much more on the development of each person’s inner potential, creativity and social contribution and not on the pursuit of money.”

“Instead of higher incomes, the central objective of a post-growth society is to provide opportunities for human fulfillment and self-realization.”

Some background on Dr. Clive Hamilton:
Clive Hamilton grew up in Canberra, at that point a small town of 50'000 inhabitants, many of them - including his father - public servants. He is an economist and has received his PhD from the University of Sussex. His first job was teaching at the Australian National University in economics of development. Four years in public service followed before he discovered that this was not the right thing for him.
Clive spent 2 years in Indonesia on a USAID project and, in 1994 founded The Australia Institute, Australia’s foremost public interest think tank. Today Clive is described as ‘Australia’s most amazing economist’ and in his
research work at the Institute has emphasised climate change policy, measures of well-being, privatization and taxation issues.
He has published widely on development, trade policy, industry economics, environmental issues, community values and ethics, and is the author of seven books among them best-sellers like “Growth Fetish” and “Affluenza”. He appears regularly in the media commenting on issues including climate change policy, tax reform, competition policy, measure of well-being and contemporary Australian political developments.

Some background on The Australia Institute:
The Australia Institute is an independent public policy research centre funded by grants from philanthropic trusts, memberships and commissioned research.
The Institute was launched in 1994 to develop and conduct research and policy analysis and to participate forcefully in public debates. In addition, the Institute undertakes research and analysis commissioned and paid for by government, business, unions and community organisations. Those involved in the Institute have each, from different viewpoints, been concerned about the impact on Australian society of the priority given to a narrow definition of economic efficiency over community, environmental and ethical considerations in public and private decision making. Market outcomes are not value free and the Institute reasserts the place of ethics in making public and private decisions.
Unconstrained by ideologies of the past, the purpose of the Institute is to help create a vision of a more just, sustainable and peaceful Australian society and to develop and promote that vision in a pragmatic and effective way.

If you would like to engage with the work of Clive Hamilton or get to know more about The Australia Institute please visit www.tai.org.au,
or, for more specific opportunities, contact joanna.stefanska@myimpact.ch or wolfgang.hafenmayer@myimpact.ch directly.