Gross Domestic Problem: The Politics Behind the World's Most Powerful Number (Economic Controversies)

Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is arguably the most well-known statistic in the contemporary world. It drives government policy and sets priorities in a variety of vital social fields - from schooling to healthcare. Yet this it has come to be regarded by many as a "problem." Does our quality of life really improve when our economy grows 2 or 3%? Can we continue to sacrifice the environment in the name of infinite economic growth?

In Gross Domestic Problem, Lorenzo Fioramonti takes apart the "content" of GDP - what it measures, what it doesn't and why - and reveals the powerful political interests that have allowed it to dominate today's economies. He also shows that an alternative is possible.