Kenneth E. Boulding - Böcker

The human race has often put a high value on struggle, strife, turmoil, and excitement. Peace has been regarded as a utopian, unattainable, perhaps dull ideal or as some random element over which we have no control. However, the desperate necessities of the nuclear age have forced us to take peace seriously as an object of both personal and national policy. Stable Peace attempts to answer the question, If we had a policy for peace, what would it look like? A policy for peace aims to speed up the historically slow, painful, but persistent transition from a state of continual war and turmoil to one of continual peace. In a stable peace, the war-peace system is tipped firmly toward peace and away from the cycle of folly, illusion, and ill will that leads to war. Boulding proposes a number of modest, easily attainable, eminently reasonable policies directed toward this goal. His recommendations include the removal of national boundaries from political agendas, the encouragement of reciprocal acts of good will between potential enemies, the exploration of the theory and practice of nonviolence, the development of governmental and nongovernmental organizations to promote peace, and the development of research in the whole area of peace and conflict management. Written in straightforward, lucid prose, Stable Peace will be of importance to politicians, policy makers, economists, diplomats, all concerned citizens, and all those interested in international relations and the resolution of conflict.

A study of the American economy from 1929 to 1989 through the analysis of national income statisitics and other data, this book reaches important conclusions regarding the causes of unemployment, the relation of inflation to the stock of liquid assets and the budget deficit, the proportion of the population in poverty, the gap between interest and profit rates, the relation of productivity to income. These conclusions are discussed using graphs and diagrams extensively. By the editor of "The Economics of Human Betterment".

We all have more knowledge than we use; even so, say the editors of this book, ignorance often governs our actions. Society continues to find ways to misuse knowledge–from manipulating information to gain political power to restricting what ideas are explored on university campuses. Thus, when some of the best minds in the country met to focus on the optimum utilization of knowledge, it was not an idle academic inquiry. In these proceedings from that conference, which was sponsored by the Academy of Independent Scholars, the contributors examine several of the key aspects of learning: the importance of knowledge in decision making, the role of our educational system and other systems in producing and disseminating knowledge, and the relationship between knowledge and the physiological, psychological, and cultural bases of the learning process. The misuse of knowledge–or the overuse of ignorance–the authors note, could threaten the existence of the entire planet, if the kind of thinking exemplified by the nuclear arms race prevails.

We all have more knowledge than we use; even so, say the editors of this book, ignorance often governs our actions. Society continues to find ways to misuse knowledge–from manipulating information to gain political power to restricting what ideas are explored on university campuses. Thus, when some of the best minds in the country met to focus on the optimum utilization of knowledge, it was not an idle academic inquiry. In these proceedings from that conference, which was sponsored by the Academy of Independent Scholars, the contributors examine several of the key aspects of learning: the importance of knowledge in decision making, the role of our educational system and other systems in producing and disseminating knowledge, and the relationship between knowledge and the physiological, psychological, and cultural bases of the learning process. The misuse of knowledge–or the overuse of ignorance–the authors note, could threaten the existence of the entire planet, if the kind of thinking exemplified by the nuclear arms race prevails.

Behavior depends on the image—the sum of what we think we know and what makes us act the way we do. The image lies behind the actions of every individual. It accounts for the growth of every cause. To recognize the image is to begin to understand the scientist, the believer, the crusader, the soldier. To know its shape is the key to psychoanalysis, public opinion polling, and social psychology. Professor Kenneth Boulding, eminent economist and author of Organizational Revolution, illuminates with the image of all modern knowledge: biology, psychology, sociology, political science, economics, and history. And he proposes a new science, "eiconics," to restructure all that is presently known about man.

Three Faces of Power offers the best of Kenneth Boulding: bold, innovative perspectives on past and present concepts. His creative analysis lays the groundwork for important future debates about power. Boulding explains that power can be divided into three major categories: threat power; economic power; and integrative power. Turning general deterrence theory on its head, he argues that the greatest error is to regard threat power as fundamental, for it is not effective unless it is reinforced by economic and integrative power. His conclusion has wide-ranging application to everything from the nuclear weapons debate to intimate personal relationships. Power. The word alone evokes images of great empires, of human misery, of personal triumphs and failures. Yet power has been--and continues to be--one of the most misunderstood concepts known to mankind. Now, in a fascinating new volume, Kenneth Boulding marshalls his remarkable intellectual talents to explore and analyze the nature of power. Three Faces of Power offers the best of Kenneth Boulding: bold, innovative perspectives on past and present concepts. His creative analysis lays the groundwork for important future debates about power. Boulding explains that power can be divided into three major categories: o Threat power, destructive in nature and applied particularly to political life. o Economic power, resting largely on the power to produce and exchange items--and on the constantly changing distribution of property ownership. o Integrative power, based on such relationships as legitimacy, respect, affection, love, community, and identity. Turning general deterrence theory on its head, Boulding argues that the greatest error is to regard threat power as fundamental, for it is not effective unless it is reinforced by economic and integrative power. His conclusion has wide-ranging application to everything from the nuclear weapons debate to intimate personal relationships. Three Faces of Power provides a refreshingly optimistic and challenging call to a world future secured through the power of human interaction and knowledge. It will prove essential reading for students and academics in all areas of the social sciences, especially peace studies, political science, sociology, family studies, communication, organizational studies, social psychology, and international relations. "With deft strokes of wit and delightfully apt analogies Boulding shares his profound insights into the most important component of human relations--power; its manifestations in brutal exploitation, in give and take relations among equals, and in mutually nurturing cooperating human beings. Boulding's inimitable charm shines through the plain language of common experience on every page of this book for everyone." --Anatol Rapoport, University of Toronto "Original, as always." --Future Survey "This book is vintage Boulding. Few people writing today in social science, much less in economics, give evidence of the broad erudition which Boulding invariably displays. He chooses examples of the points he wishes to make with breathtaking leaps through history and culture. The reader who dips into this book by Boulding is in for a challenging and thought-provoking experience." --The Journal of Economic Issues "Innovative and fascinating." --The Futurist "This is an immensely charming book, easily readable, written in a plain, almost folksy prose-style....It glides effortlessly over its topic." --Organization Studies "The value of reading this book is that of personal discovery. Besides the many glittering economic ideas and suggestions lying about like diamonds in a field, his essay provokes self-knowledge. You as an economist will know a lot more about yourself and the failures and successes of your profession after reading this book." --American Journal of Agricultural Economics "Three Faces of Power is Kenneth Boulding's innovative and thought-provoking study of power, in which he categorically rejects the traditional importance of threat (destructive) power. Instead, he offers a bold, new thesis: 'It is integrative power that is the most dominant and significant form of power, in the sense that neither threat power nor economic power can achieve very much in the absence of legitimacy, which is one of the more important aspects of integrative power.' . . . Well written and provocative, Three Faces of Power is both scholarly and down to earth. Undeniably, Three Faces of Power will stimulate much discussion about power, but, equally important, it is an eloquent plea for peace." --International Journal on World Peace

Profound ideas from remarkably original couple. --Future Survey Spanning a period of 28 years, this collection of essays by renowned futurist scholars Elise and Kenneth Boulding presents a thoughtful exploration of past, present--and possible--world development. The juxtaposition of works by both authors fosters a deeper understanding of their individual views while allowing the reader to evaluate the element of mutual influence. Offering a wide range of political, economic, and social perspectives on the global future, the volume's overarching theme is clear: The world is in dire need of mending. Conveying the passionate conviction of its contributors, this compelling set of essays stands as a tribute to Kenneth Boulding's life, his work, and his dedication to the study of the future as more than an intellectual curiosity--as something essential to the survival of mankind itself. Students and professors of political science, sociology, and economics will appreciate this thought-provoking volume. "The authors display their passionate concern with the future, a concern shown partly in their joint interest in peace projects. They write lucidly and gracefully making these some of the most attractive and stimulating contributions to our thinking about the future." --Krishan Kumar in Political Studies

Useful for early and intermediate level college economics classes, this book introduces those with some knowledge of economics to the larger scientific background of the subject. Specifically, it focuses on economics as a behavioral science, as a political science, a mathematical science, a moral science and finally it looks at the successes and failures of economics and what it portends for the future. Originally published in 1970 by McGraw-Hill, this edition contains an updated appendix and new preface.

The Economics of Human Betterment is a comparative look at economic change and social progress. It is about betterment-a change or process-and about institutions and countries as they evolve. It is about human betterment-and therefore concerned with perceived welfare and the identification of basic human needs. And it is about economics, but about means as means, not means as ends. This book asks in what way productive activities (whether free market or planned, whether in developed or in developing countries) influence and reflect basic human values.The essays contained herein represent some of the best up-to-date accounts available on such topics as the welfare state in Holland or the relationship between growth and betterment in Singapore. Other essays take in the United Kingdom, Japan, India, and the planned economy of the Soviet Union. The contributors are all well-known experts in their own field. And their essays reveal a common conviction that economics is about people first, and about things only in so far as they contribute to human betterment.

More and more people are demanding an end to violence as a means of arbitrating international demands and resolving problems between nations. This collection of essays brings social scientific evidence to bear on the question of the "inevitability" of war, and evaluates the potential for managing the international system in the interest of peace instead of war. The contributors discuss methods of lowering distrust among^nations; they consider whether war persists because it has become an economic necessity built into a "military-industrial complex."' They deal with implications of expansion of the military into civilian areas such as education, and into increasingly sophisticated technology such as the ABM Safeguard system. They discuss* the involvement of social scientists in the formulation of "peace" and "war" policy.Collectively, these essays present the most serious questions social scientists have been asking about problems of war and peace, and offer hope that the present international system, dangerous and appallingly costly as it is, may offer enough stability to give us time to transform it into something that bettet serves human needs.

This volume is a sampling of quips, verses, drawings, and even the music of one of the most original and versatile minds of the twentieth century, Kenneth Boulding prominent economist, lecturer, and author.The driving force behind Kenneth Boulding's wideranging book is that he truly en joys all that he does. Indeed, his greatest accomplishment may very well be that he was a profoundly happy man. This is reflected in works that are laced with beauty, wit, and extraordinary imagery-works that are often composed and appeared in the most unexpected of places. In the midst of one of the classic textbooks of his generally staid profession, Economic Analysis, Boulding introduced the "bathtub theorem." Illustrating Economics: Beasts, Ballads and Aphorisms is a collection of similar instances and, as such, it is fun.The reader should be advised that the book contains traps. Boulding coats his ideas with sugar to please his audience as well as promote consumption. He describes peace as "a drab girl with an olive branch corsage whom no red-blooded American (or Russian) could conceivably warm up to." The reader smiles at the recognition of the truth inherent within the image and ponders the irony of why so fine a state as peace should be regarded as dull, and so ugly a condition as war should be regarded as romantic. This book is for enjoyment, but it should carry the following warning: Caution-Reading this may be stimulating to your intellect.

It reaches important conclusions regarding the causes of unemployment, the relation of inflation to the stock of liquid assets and the budget deficit, the proportion of the population in poverty, the gap between interest and profit rates, the relation of productivity to income.

This volume is a sampling of quips, verses, drawings, and even the music of one of the most original and versatile minds of the twentieth century, Kenneth Boulding prominent economist, lecturer, and author.The driving force behind Kenneth Boulding's wideranging book is that he truly en joys all that he does. Indeed, his greatest accomplishment may very well be that he was a profoundly happy man. This is reflected in works that are laced with beauty, wit, and extraordinary imagery-works that are often composed and appeared in the most unexpected of places. In the midst of one of the classic textbooks of his generally staid profession, Economic Analysis, Boulding introduced the "bathtub theorem." Illustrating Economics: Beasts, Ballads and Aphorisms is a collection of similar instances and, as such, it is fun.The reader should be advised that the book contains traps. Boulding coats his ideas with sugar to please his audience as well as promote consumption. He describes peace as "a drab girl with an olive branch corsage whom no red-blooded American (or Russian) could conceivably warm up to." The reader smiles at the recognition of the truth inherent within the image and ponders the irony of why so fine a state as peace should be regarded as dull, and so ugly a condition as war should be regarded as romantic. This book is for enjoyment, but it should carry the following warning: Caution-Reading this may be stimulating to your intellect.