It also fits seamlessly with the important empowerment principle of the new economics movement: "Systematic empowerment of people (as opposed to making and keeping them dependent), as the basis for people-centred development." And also fits in their thesis "that a general shift in emphasis from generating more income (= conventional economics) to generating less expenditure (= new economics), is a necessary aspect of the shift to sustainable development". Reducing inputs (= costs) means positioning people more autonomously and vertically. (Quotes from Robertson).