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Humanistic Economics:
Regenerating the Economics of Community

In this workshop we shall explore the impact of the current economic system and the mainstream conventional economic theory that supports it upon the quality of life of the individuals who live and work in our society. It is our contention that modern economics treats the human person as a one-dimensional consuming machine. As a result of this misconception, the modern economic system makes it very difficult for the individual person to have a fulfilled life of many dimensions. In this workshop we discuss how a different and more holistic perception of human nature would make for a different economic system and a supporting economic theory. This is our task then: to come up with an economic theory that will encourage an economic system that will lead to fulfilled human lives of many dimensions.

Speakers:

• Don Stone, School of Management, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003; (413) 549-4930; (508) 544-3549, will discuss the founding goals and history of the Center for a Human Economy.

• Helen Parris, 1054 Spadina Crescent East, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, S7K 3H7 Canada; (306) 653-2733, a consultant and author, will discuss how the current economic system invades the privacy of the individual human person.

• Mark Ritchie, trade analyst for Minnesota Department of Agriculture, 3838 Blaisdell Ave, So., Minneapolis, MN 55409; fax: (612) 339-0684; Executive Director, Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy, 1313 Fifth Street, S.E., Suite 303, Minneapolis, MN 55414, or P.O. Box 80066, Minneapolis, MN 55408; (612) 379-5980; fax: (612) 379-5982; Econet: iatp@igc.org. Will discuss the negative side of increased trade and specialization.

• Thomas Wayburn, 2638 Yorktown, Apt. 294, Houston, TX 77056, a PhD in chemical engineering with many other interests, will explore how a more humane and less materialistic economic system might operate.

• Lon Smith, Center for Human Economy, Economics Department, Box 14, Mankato State University, Mankato, MN 56002; (507) 389-5325, will outline the work of the Center for a Human Economy.

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