In his book, The Sane Alternative, James Robertson, patron of the SANE Network, describes New Economics as a Sane, Humane, Ecological (SHE) economy, as opposed to the orthodox Hyper-Expansionist (HE) economy.

Any policy or initiative that promotes a more sustainable, humane and just economic system contributes to New Economics. However, there are some specific economic policy proposals which are synergistic and which lie at the core of New Economics. These are: 

1. Promoting local and limiting global economic activity 
2. Paying a basic, non-means-tested income to all citizens 
3. Encouraging complementary currencies to stimulate economic activities in cash-poor communities 
4. Monetary reform to break the money generating monopoly of the banking system 
5. A tax structure which taxes non-renewable inputs and value subtracted ('bads') rather than income and value added ('goods'). 

These principles need to be adapted and applied with great insight and understanding to the specific circumstances of each country. The dual nature of South Africa's economy, being made up of both well-developed and poverty-stricken or 'third-world' societies, must be recognised. To uplift the latter it is essential that consumption patterns be matched to local human and production capacity. This supports the need to promote local economic activity as indicated in the first of the above principles but runs counter to the free market 'wisdom' of the globalisation process.