Jeremy Rifkin

Jeremy Rifkin (born 1943, Denver, Colorado), the founder and president of the Foundation on Economic Trends (FOET), is an American economist, writer, and public speaker. He is an activist who seeks to shape public policy in the United States and globally.

He has testified before numerous congressional committees and has engaged in litigation extensively to ensure "responsible" government policies on a variety of environmental, scientific and technology related issues. Since 1994, Rifkin has been a fellow at the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton Executive Education Program, lecturing CEOs and senior corporate management from around the world on new trends in science and technology.

Education

Rifkin earned degrees in economics from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and in international affairs from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University.

Published works

Rifkin has published many books—primarily focused on the impact of scientific and technological changes—in which he has speculated on the end or change of work, property, the American dream, the potential of dangers unleashed by biotechnology, and on the beginning of a new hydrogen economy.

Rifkin became one of the first major critics of the nascent biotechnology industry with the 1977 publication of his book, "Who Should Play God?" His 1995 book, "The End of Work", an international bestseller, is credited by some with helping shape the current global debate on technology displacement, corporate downsizing and the future of jobs. His 1998 book, "The Biotech Century", addresses the many critical issues accompanying the new era of genetic commerce.

Renewable hydrogen economy

After the publication of "The Hydrogen Economy", Rifkin worked both in the U.S. and the EU to advance the political cause of renewably generated hydrogen. In the U.S., Rifkin was instrumental in founding the Green Hydrogen Coalition. The GHC consists of 13 environmental and political organizations (including Greenpeace and MoveOn.Org) that are committed to building a renewable hydrogen based economy.

Foundation on Economic Trends

The Foundation on Economic Trends (FOET), based in Washington D.C. is active in both national and international public policy issues related to the environment, the economy, and biotechnology. FOET examines new trends and their impacts on the environment, the economy, culture and society, and engages in litigation, public education, coalition building and grassroots organizing activities to advance their goals.

Criticism

Rifkin has sparked controversies about his positions. Critics in the U.S. have called him a professional scaremonger for supporting precautionary principles, one group going so far as to brand him "the intellectual guru of the neo-Luddites," as they view many of his positions as obstacles to technological advancement. Some groups, like the right-wing Center for Consumer Freedom through its ActivistCash website, assert that Rifkin's books are "littered with errors and false predictions." "Time Magazine" went so far as to call him "the most hated man in science", [ [http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,959181,00.html Thompson, Dick; "The Most Hated Man In Science"; time.com; December 4, 1989.] ] although groups like the Union of Concerned Scientists have cited some of his publications as useful references for consumers. [ [http://www.ucsusa.org/assets/documents/ucs/CG-Chapter-1.pdf Brower, Michael; The Consumer's Guide to Effective Environmental Choices] ] As well, many have considered his understanding of the American economy to be absolutely flawed - for in his book, European Dream, he blamed the vastly unequal distribution of wealth in America to be the result of unbridled market capitalism, while many claim that the vastly disparaged class of America have gotten that way by the government disruption of free markets, through massive bailouts in favor of large industrial and financial corporations, resulting in vast debt and inflation. For example, conservatives like Ron Paul would argue against Rifkin on this basis and maybe state that Rifkin actually doesn't understand how the the American economy works at all - the former clearly describes how our ills have become resultant from excessive government intervention and that the free-market Rifkin speaks of is only a reality in the words of the political candidates, not in the economic reality of America. Nevertheless, Rifkin is a well known writer for his works on political economy and socio economic interpretations of the western world.

Books

* 2004, "", Jeremy P. Tarcher, ISBN 1-58542-345-9
* 2002, "", Jeremy P. Tarcher, ISBN 1-58542-193-6
* 2000, "", Putnam Publishing Group, ISBN 1-58542-018-2
* 1998, "", J P Tarcher, ISBN 0-87477-909-X
* 1995, "", Putnam Publishing Group, ISBN 0-87477-779-8
* 1992, "", E. P. Dutton, ISBN 0-525-93420-0
* 1992, "Voting Green: Your Complete Environmental Guide to Making Political Choices In The 90s", with Carol Grunewald Rifkin, Main Street Books, ISBN 0-385-41917-1
* 1991, "Biosphere Politics: A New Consciousness for a New Century", Crown, ISBN 0-517-57746-1
* 1990, "The Green Lifestyle Handbook: 1001 Ways to Heal the Earth" (edited by Rifkin), Henry Holt & Co, ISBN 0-8050-1369-5
* 1987, "Time Wars: The Primary Conflict In Human History", Henry Holt & Co, ISBN 0-8050-0377-0
* 1985, "Declaration of a Heretic", Routledge & Kegan Paul Books, Ltd, ISBN 0-7102-0709-3
* 1983, "Algeny", Viking Press, ISBN 0-670-10885-5
* 1980, "", with Ted Howard (afterword by Nicholas Georgescu-Roegen), Viking Press, ISBN 0-670-29717-8
* 1979, "The Emerging Order: God in the Age of Scarcity", with Ted Howard, Putnam, ISBN B0006DCHX4
* 1978, "The North Will Rise Again: Pensions, Politics and Power in the 1980s", with Randy Barber, Beacon Press, ISBN 0-8070-4787-2
* 1977, "Own Your Own Job: Economic Democracy for Working Americans"
* 1977, "Who Should Play God? The Artificial Creation of Life and What it Means for the Future of the Human", with Ted Howard, Dell Publishing Co., ISBN 0-440-19504-7
* 1973, "How to Commit Revolution American Style", with John Rossen, Book Sales, ISBN 0-8184-0041-2

ee also

*Biopolitics
*"Frankenstein" argument
*National Veterans Inquiry
*Winter Soldier Investigation
*Genetic pollution

References

External links

* [http://www.foet.org/ FOET.org] - The Foundation on Economic Trends:* [http://www.foet.org/JeremyRifkin.htm FOET.org] - 'About Jeremy Rifkin (biography)
* [http://www.activistcash.com/biography.cfm/bid/1342 ActivistCash.com] - 'Jeremy Rifkin Biography' (criticism)
* [http://www.guardian.co.uk/hurricanes2005/story/0,16546,1576714,00.html Guardian.co.uk] - 'Sorry, Mr President, homilies won't stop the hurricanes: We Americans need to get out of our SUVs and learn the harsh lesson of Katrina and Rita: we are all to blame', Jeremy Rifkin, "The Guardian", (September 23, 2005)
* [http://www.nationalcenter.org/dos7126.htm NationalCenter.org] - 'Dossier, Environmental Scientist: Jeremy Rifkin', National Center for Public Policy Research
* [http://www.speaking.com/speakers/jeremyrifkin.html Speaking.com] - 'Jeremy Rifkin, topics: Technology, Future, Economics, International Business; Fee Category: 20.0k to 25.0k'
* [http://www.vjolt.net/vol5/issue2/v5i2a5-Naik.html VJolt.net] - 'Biotechnology Through the Eyes of an Opponent The Resistance of Activist Jeremy Rifkin', Paul S. Naik, "Virginia Journal of Law and Technology"
* [http://www.worldtrans.org/whole/rifkin.html WorldTrans.org] - 'An Afternoon with Jeremy Rifkin'
* [http://www.greenhydrogencoalition.org/ Green Hydrogen Coalition]
* [http://www.foet.org/ongoing/leadership-hydrogen-economy.html European Parliament Leaders announce Green Hydrogen initiative]
* [http://www.internationalistreview.com/article.php?type=4&dos=15 The Internationalist Review] - Dossier on Mr Rifkin's position concerning ecological issues published by the Internationalist Review.