Ecological and Economic Distribution as Elements of the Evolution of Modern Societies

Abstract

The evolution of modern market economies can be evaluated in terms of distribution- as distinguished from efficiency. But distribution is not only given in economic terms. Ecological conflicts in modern market economies indicate that there is also some ecological distribution in the background influencing economic distribution as well as being influenced by the latter. This interdependency between ecological and economic distribution is specified in two dimensions: (i) the economic access to ecological benefits and yields and (ii) the emergence of ecological costs by way of internalizing ecological impacts. By introducing these dimensions into a simple production economy the role of distribution to shape the economic-ecological possibilities of evolution of modern societies can be approached.