This book examines frugality as an ideal and an 'art de vivre' which implies a low level of material consumption and a simple lifestyle, to open the mind for spiritual goods as inner freedom, social peace and justice or the quest for God or 'ultimate reality'. By rational choice we can develop a more frugal and sufficient way of life, but material temptations can always overwrite our ecological, social and ethical considerations. But the spiritual case for frugality is strong enough. Spiritually based frugal practices may lead to rational outcomes such as reducing ecological destruction, social disintegration and the exploitation of future generations. Includes bibliographical references and index. Preface vii Acknowledgements xi Part I Introduction Why Frugality? 3(24) Luk Bouckaert Hendrik Opdebeeck Laszlo Zsolnai Part II Frugality in Spiritual Traditions Rational versus Spiritual Concepts of Frugality 27(18) Luk Bouckaert Frugality and the Body 45(26) Rafael Esteban How the Idea `Created Co-Creator' Can Contribute to the Nurturing of Frugality in Economic Life 71(24) Francis Kadaplackal Quaker Simplicity 95(30) Laurie Michaelis Part III Frugality in Socio-Economic Perspective Overconsumption 125(16) Dirk Geldof Frugality and the Moral Economy of Late Modern Capitalism 141(28) Ronald Commers Wim Vandekerckhove Consumerism and Frugality: Contradictory Principles in Economics? 169(16) Knut Ims Ove Jakobsen The Urgency of a Frugality-based Economics 185(22) Hendrik Opdebeeck Part IV Frugality in Business and Economic Policy Frugality First 207(20) Herman E. Daly Frugal Marketing: Can Selling Less Make Business Sense? 227(22) Ronald Jeurissen Bert van de Ven The Progressive Consumption Tax 249(30) Robert H. Frank Buddhist Economic Strategy 279(26) Laszlo Zsolnai About the Contributors 305(12) Index 317