Between the ‘Hand-Loom’ and the ‘Samson Stripper’: Fritz Schumacher's Struggle for Intermediate Technology

For twenty years, during which time he started to promote Intermediate Technology abroad and began writing Small is Beautiful (1973), E. F. Schumacher was an economist with the National Coal Board. As such, led what called a ‘double-life’. On one hand, his work at coal board involved colossal plant, pollution brute human labour, difficulty of could be alleviated only by adoption heavy coal-extracting machinery. went on, became deeply in managing defending declining sector, through rationalisation further mechanisation its production activities. other personal involvement Soil Association, reading Gandhian literature exploration Buddhism esoteric interests, increasingly sought non-violent approach economics, based on appropriate technology gentle, labour-intensive methods, especially so-called developing countries. This paper tells story Schumacher's growing struggle reconcile these contrasting spheres life, until such as finally leave board, give himself completely begin influential book.