Aiming to reveal the real nature of undirected economic growth, Richard Douthwaite shows that we cannot rely on Adam Smith's belief that an "invisible hand" will always ensure that self-interest serves the common good. Douthwaite believes that when enough people think along the lines suggested in this book, a new path will present itself and, rather than striving for constant expansion to stave off collapse, nations can build stable economies in which resource consumption is kept at a sustainable level.