The short-term benefits of unlimited growth are driving the American economic and social model right off a cliff. The author shows how corporations drown out scientists and global elites prosper during economic collapse. He charts the effects in terms of increasing poverty, population migration, and social tension. This book tells the story of the current climate change crisis, how it evolved, and why we shouldn't be surprised when little or no action is taken. Together with a forthcoming volume, this book aims to provide a comprehensive view of the substantial obstacles facing those who wish to avoid the inevitable consequences of this rapid expansion of human activity on a finite planet.