But we can also take the radical view that the test of an economy has to do with the extent to which it is providing everybody with a decent means of living.

To achieve true sustainability, we must reduce our "garbage index" - that which we permanently throw away into the environment that will not be naturally recycled for reuse - to near zero. Productive activities must be organized as closed systems. Minerals and other nonbiodegradable resources, once taken from the ground, must become a part of society's permanent capital stock and be recycled in perpetuity. Organic materials may be disposed into the natural ecosystems, but only in ways that assure that they are absorbed back into the natural production system.

So, there is enormous instability in the global economy with a shift of winners and losers.

But we can also take the radical view that the test of an economy has to do with the extent to which it is providing everybody with a decent means of living.

Moreover, statistics can be deceiving: the growth of jobs in the US in the 90s was due to many part-time jobs, with no benefits and generally low pay.

If you look at the US economy over the last 15-20 years wages have been stagnating or even declining.

It is interesting to note that the 200 richest people have more assets than the 2 billion poorest.