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Degrowth

Originating from France in 2001: The voluntary societal shrinking of production and consumption aimed at social and ecological sustainability. This proposes radical change to our economic models that critiques the current development hegemony. A new economic paradigm must emerge that rejects growth (be it sustainable growth, "green growth" or a "green economy") to create a "steady state economy. However, it is not just an economic concept but a framework for interpreting diagnostic and prognostic processes. Degrowth is more than just a criticism of economic growth or a proposal to decrease GDP.

The diagnostic component recognizes that social and environmental issues arise due to economic growth. It produces an alternative to the position of mainstream pro-growth views.

The prognosis hypothesizes new social patterns to eliminate growth from our economic model. Many prognostic solutions are theorized.

Ecology: Absolute decoupling between industrial expansion and ecological destruction is unlikely. One solution is a commons approach where the environment is cared and shared for by all vs individual owned or owned by none. Reintegration of humans and nature with recognition of a "right of nature"

Anthropology: Argues (1) the concept of development is a mental construct not globally shared and (2) utility maximisation is not a driving force of human behavior. We need to rediscover alternative modes of human identity.

Ethics: The growth-focused mindset creates a hustle culture that is contradictory to living the good life. Happiness does not linearly scale with growth of wealth but reaches an asymptote. Finding the simple life as liberating and profound rather than restraining and limiting.

Bioeconomics: Human activity turns materials of low entropy/good quality into waste and pollution (high entropy). We need to decrease energy consumption (peak oil). Current system confuses credit for real wealth. The real economy of actual production cannot increase fast enough to pay off debt and the real economy is actually decreasing due to decreasing natural resources. There are diminishing returns on efficiency gains through technology and cannot keep up indefinitely.

Democracy: Argues that technology is a threat to democratic processes.

Justice: Degrowth in inequality. Challenges that only growth can improve the living conditions of the poor (trickle down). Argues for less competition. Large scale redistribution and sharing of excessive incomes and wealth. Media promotion of high-consumption lifstyles has caused social and environmental crises (encouraging envy and competition). Consequentialist solution: reduce reasons for envy and competition by setting maximum wealth. Remove borders to remove means of creating wealth disparities between peoples. Deonotological: change culture to make us uninterested in high-consumption. Global north owes it to the south due to environmental damage. Remove misery by establishing minimum standards for all.

Practitioners work on developing alternatives outside present institutions. Focus on behavioral changes. Downshifting.

The full scope of ideas must be combined for degrowth. Reductionistic interpretations occur when you focus on just one area (e.g. eco-primitivism, right wing ecofascism etc.)

External References

  1. Demaria, Federico et al. What is Degrowth? From an Activist Slogan to a Social Movement. Environmental Values 22: 191-215. The White Horse Press, 2013.
  2. Parrique, Timothee. <https://timotheeparrique.com/a-response-to-the-economist-shut-up-and-let-me-grow/> 2023. Retrieved 23J0.

Linked References