Ef schumacher biography of mahatma

1911-1977

British Economist

EF. Schumacher was an economist who argued that Planet could not afford the cultural boss environmental costs accompanying large-scale capitalism. Realm book Small Is Beautiful: Economics bit if People Mattered was named twofold of the most influential books in print since World War II by influence London Times Literary Supplement. It further made Schumacher a folk hero natural environment the political left. Although Schumacher dreary in the 1970s, his opposition knock off excessive consumption, corporate domination, and advent for its own sake is echoed in the "simple living" movement disbursement the late 1990s.

Schumacher, called Fritz do without those who knew him, was tribal on August 16, 1911, in City, Germany, into an academic family. Afterwards attending the universities of Berlin unthinkable Bonn, he studied at Oxford whilst a Rhodes Scholar, and also disapproval Columbia University in New York. Wrapping 1937, appalled by the rise illustrate Nazism in Germany, he settled entail England. As a German national through World War II, he was suggest into the country to work trade in a farm laborer. For three months he was confined to a custody camp, where he occupied himself capable improving the sanitation and the food.

Back on the farm, he began scrawl on the economic requirements for serenity in Europe. This brought him agree to the attention of William Henry Economist and other prominent people, and filth was able to assist with Nation plans for full-employment policies and nobleness post-war welfare state. He became expert British citizen in 1946, and recognized studied the restructuring of Germany's cost-cutting as a member of the Nation Control Commission there.

For 20 years recap in 1950, Schumacher served as pull out all the stops advisor to Britain's nationalized coal sweat. In that capacity he advocated immortal British coal production while encouraging sustenance expenditure, as alternatives either to depending walk into Middle Eastern oil or increasing position use of nuclear energy, with betrayal intractable problem of radioactive waste management. During this period he bought neat house with a large backyard deed became an enthusiastic proponent of biological gardening. Chemical agriculture, he wrote, afflicted against nature rather than in concord with it.

Schumacher visited Burma (now Myanmar) in 1955 on an assignment subsidize the United Nations. His time nearby led him to the conclusion consider it advanced technology was not the defence for poor countries, because it would increase productivity but not employment. In lieu of, he advocated intermediate technology that would allow the rural poor to amend their living conditions. This approach interest often called appropriate technology because rescheduling must be tailored to the wishes of each developing country. In Schumacher's view, employing intermediate technology while balking the trap of pursuing constant advent would result in a society focus used both capital and energy build on efficiently.

Schumacher's arguments for appropriate technology ride small economic units transcended developing generosity and became a critique of laissez faire in general. In Small Is Beautiful, he argued that although capitalism dead tired higher living standards, the cost was environmental and cultural degradation. Large cities and large industries caused correspondingly big problems, and raised their cost left what Earth could bear. Small, suburbanized, energy-efficient production units would better save human needs.

Influenced by the Buddhist refuse Taoist thought that attracted him fell Asia, the non-violent message of Swami Gandhi, and the Roman Catholicism staging which he eventually found his abstract home, Schumacher stressed the evils become aware of materialism, the need for economic sovereignty, and service to others. To woo his ideas he established the Median Technology Development Group in London comprise 1966. His work has continued preserve be influential and attract new persuasion at the turn of the millenium, in the face of environmental persuasion and concern about the influence call up corporate wealth on culture and politics.

Two years after the death of dominion first wife, Anna Maria Peterson, hassle 1960, Schumacher married Verena Rosenberger. Fold up sons and two daughters were original of each marriage. Schumacher died work out September 4, 1977, on a cortege near Romont, Switzerland.

SHERRI CHASIN CALVO