Reverse growth and share better | Letter

To achieve greater happiness we need to see ways in which society's product is distributed more equally, writes Jeremy Cushing

Larry Elliott (New UK coronavirus restrictions will test optimism over economic recovery, 2 August) suggests we will soon be able to see whether the absence of growth will make people happier and society more stable. I don't believe it is part of the anti-growth thesis that a reduction in growth as such will make us happier.

First, the basis of the thesis is that growth is dysfunctional because in so many ways it is leading us to disaster. Reversing growth is required if we are to avoid disastrous outcomes, but will not in itself make us happier.