NOTE: The Costs and Benefits of Growth Available to Purchase

Pearce, in a previous article criticises Beckerman's work on the extension of externalities theory into the field of economic growth. The object of this note is neither to defend Beckerman's paper, nor to dispute Pearce's contention that there are situations in which the benefits of growth are outweighed by the costs. Rather, it is to dispute the notion that: “The error (of Beckerman's analysis) lies in the use of a partial analysis…” An effort is made to resuscitate partialism in a manner which is sufficiently flexible to take account of Pearce's criticisms.