The Real Wealth of Nations

The author of The Chalice and the Blade proposes a new economics based on care in this “impressive work that's . . . well argued, insightful and hopeful” (Publishers Weekly).

Adam Smith's The Wealth of Nations provided the first explanation of the workings of modern economics. But with his focus on "the market" as the best mechanism for producing and distributing the necessities of life, Smith's concepts only told part of the story, leading to flawed economic models that devalue activities that fall outside of the market's parameters of buying and selling. The real wealth of nations, Riane Eisler argues, is not merely financial, but includes the contributions of people and our natural environment.

In The Real Wealth of Nations, Eisler reexamines economics from a larger perspective, showing that we must give visibility and value to the essential work of caring for people and the planet. Eisler proposes a new “caring economics” that recognizes the full spectrum of economic activities—from the life-sustaining activities of the household to the life-enriching activities of caregivers and communities, to the life-supporting processes of nature.

Eisler reveals how current economic models are based on a deep-seated culture of patriarchy and domination. She then shows how human needs would be better served by economic models based on caring. Most importantly, she provides practical proposals for new measures, policies, rules, and practices to bring about a caring economics that fulfills human needs.