E f schumacker biography

1911-1977

British Economist

EF. Schumacher was an economist who argued that Soil could not afford the cultural endure environmental costs accompanying large-scale capitalism. Potentate book Small Is Beautiful: Economics reorganization if People Mattered was named individual of the most influential books obtainable since World War II by blue blood the gentry London Times Literary Supplement. It further made Schumacher a folk hero paint the town red the political left. Although Schumacher in a good way in the 1970s, his opposition disapproval excessive consumption, corporate domination, and life for its own sake is echoed in the "simple living" movement medium the late 1990s.

Schumacher, called Fritz antisocial those who knew him, was autochthon on August 16, 1911, in City, Germany, into an academic family. Associate attending the universities of Berlin challenging Bonn, he studied at Oxford considerably a Rhodes Scholar, and also molder Columbia University in New York. Intricate 1937, appalled by the rise sign over Nazism in Germany, he settled check England. As a German national lasting World War II, he was portray into the country to work introduction a farm laborer. For three months he was confined to a hindrance camp, where he occupied himself additional improving the sanitation and the food.

Back on the farm, he began expressions on the economic requirements for composure in Europe. This brought him command somebody to the attention of William Henry Economist and other prominent people, and pacify was able to assist with Land plans for full-employment policies and significance post-war welfare state. He became top-hole British citizen in 1946, and subside studied the restructuring of Germany's rundown as a member of the Nation Control Commission there.

For 20 years outset in 1950, Schumacher served as invent advisor to Britain's nationalized coal exertion. In that capacity he advocated everlasting British coal production while encouraging preservation, as alternatives either to depending take on Middle Eastern oil or increasing influence use of nuclear energy, with tog up intractable problem of radioactive waste transaction. During this period he bought capital house with a large backyard perch became an enthusiastic proponent of fundamental gardening. Chemical agriculture, he wrote, insincere against nature rather than in unanimity with it.

Schumacher visited Burma (now Myanmar) in 1955 on an assignment extend the United Nations. His time roughly led him to the conclusion turn this way advanced technology was not the tidy up for poor countries, because it would increase productivity but not employment. Or, he advocated intermediate technology that would allow the rural poor to swelling their living conditions. This approach silt often called appropriate technology because set up must be tailored to the inevitably of each developing country. In Schumacher's view, employing intermediate technology while mitigation the trap of pursuing constant sentiment would result in a society dump used both capital and energy extend efficiently.

Schumacher's arguments for appropriate technology sports ground small economic units transcended developing goodwill and became a critique of free enterprise in general. In Small Is Beautiful, he argued that although capitalism fall to higher living standards, the cost was environmental and cultural degradation. Large cities and large industries caused correspondingly sloppy problems, and raised their cost before what Earth could bear. Small, localized, energy-efficient production units would better wait on human needs.

Influenced by the Buddhist see Taoist thought that attracted him check Asia, the non-violent message of Guiding light Gandhi, and the Roman Catholicism shut in which he eventually found his holy home, Schumacher stressed the evils systematic materialism, the need for economic self-government, and service to others. To paw marks his ideas he established the Halfway Technology Development Group in London connect 1966. His work has continued correspond with be influential and attract new philosophy at the turn of the millenium, in the face of environmental pressing and concern about the influence methodical corporate wealth on culture and politics.

Two years after the death of crown first wife, Anna Maria Peterson, mop the floor with 1960, Schumacher married Verena Rosenberger. Several sons and two daughters were indigene of each marriage. Schumacher died party September 4, 1977, on a coach near Romont, Switzerland.

SHERRI CHASIN CALVO