Creating sustainable growth in Europe

This essay by a distinguished international economist draws on the findings of the Anglo- German Foundation’s creating sustainable growth in europe initiative to pose challenging questions about the nature of societies in the capitalist world and their underlying moral values and to explore the ethical principles on which societies base their actions. Sir Tony Atkinson explores the fault-lines – demography, generational conflict and inequality – that could derail societies and analyses a range of positive responses. His ‘messages for key actors’ plot a way forward, not in terms of specific policy options, but rather as a set of principles about how governments, citizens, employers, trade unions and nongovernmental organisations can tackle the interlocking problems facing the world today.