The next economics

Abstract

This chapter explains what The Next Economics is about with some specific examples and cases that are expanded upon in other chapters by other authors. The focus is primarily upon the green industrial revolution (GIR) which is the topic of another book that Clark and Cooke discuss in their book, Global Energy Innovation (Praeger Press 2011) and will be a book itself due out in 2013. Certainly, there is also a blue industrial revolution (BIR) as one of the chapters in this book illustrates. The point of the GIR (and BIR) requires new way of thinking about a economic paradigm. Clark (2013) discusses some of that in an article that is part of a special issue for the Contemporary Economic Policy journal. Below in this chapter, the basic areas and countries where The Next Economics has been done successfully are referenced with some examples. The case that stands out the most is China which appears to be addressing economic reform moving from the extremes of Communism and Capitalism to a new paradigm while focused on social issues ranging from the environment, climate change, pollution and carbon emissions to health and medical care, aging population, and the continued growth of communities in order to make them sustainable in terms of strong environmental and emissions standards. This chapter sets the stage for other chapters related to a new economic paradigm called social capitalism.