Draft:Degrowth

Degrowth

The concept of Degrowth, presented as an alternative economic model, is one that is gaining popularity in recent times as humanity is currently experiencing an ecological crisis driven by excessive levels of resource use brought about by the existing economic system, which has thus tipped the ecological balance and social equity [1]. Degrowth is an economic, social and academic movement that is critical of the existing economic model that assumes that continuous gross domestic product growth is a measure and necessity of the human, societal and economic development.. The idea of Degrowth challenges the dominant growth paradigm, which prioritizes gross domestic product (GDP) as the primary indicator of progress, and advocates for a planned reduction of economic production and consumption to achieve environmental sustainability, social equity, and well-being .

It argues that economic growth measured by GDP should be abandoned as a policy objective. Policies should instead focus on economic and social metrics such as life expectancy, health, education, housing, and ecologically sustainable work as indicators of both ecosystems and human well-being . It advocates for a planned reduction of economic production and consumption. This movement arose from the consequences of productivism and consumerism associated with the capitalist and industrial societies.

Background

The origins of Degrowth can be traced back to early critiques of industrial capitalism, with influential works by ecological economists such as Nicholas Georgescu-Roegen highlighting the environmental and social limits of endless economic expansion. The term "Degrowth" emerged in the 1970s within the context of ecological economics and social movements in France, as a response to the unsustainable focus on growth-centric development.

The publication of Limits to Growth in 1972 by the Club of Rome further cemented the foundation of Degrowth by emphasizing the finite nature of Earth's resources and the need for systemic change. Over time, Degrowth has evolved into a global academic and activist movement in the 21st century, gaining recognition as a critical framework for addressing the interrelated crises of climate change, resource depletion, and social inequality.

Key figures in the 21st Century Degrowth debate:

• Giorgos Kallis' - Co-author of 'Degrowth. A vocabulary for a new paradigm . An ecological economist whose research focuses on the environmental and social implications of economic growth and sustainable alternatives.
• Tim Jackson' - Author of 'Prosperity Without Growth: Economics for a Finite Planet (2009), he explores how economies can thrive without relying on perpetual growth .
• Serge Latouche - A French economist and key figure in the Degrowth movement, known for his work on post-development theory and critiques of consumerism [2].

• Vaclav Smil - A scientist and policy analyst who argues that economic growth has to end, that all growth is logistic rather than exponential, and that humans could consume much lower levels of materials and energy [3].
• Kate Raworth - The creator of Doughnut Economics, who, while sympathetic to some critiques of growth, emphasizes finding a balance between ecological boundaries and human needs, rather than promoting Degrowth outright

Core Principles

The core principles of Degrowth serve as a framework for reimagining society beyond the traditional focus on economic growth. These principles emphasize:

• Ecological sustainability - the reduction of resource extraction, waste and pollution, and green house gas emissions to stay within planetary boundaries.
• Social equity and well-being - advocating for a transition to systems that prioritize human and environmental flourishing over material accumulation, rooted in values of justice, community, and participatory democracy.
• Decoupling - advocating for policies and practices that decouple economic growth, usually measured in GDP growth, GDP per capita growth or GNI per capita growth from the use of natural resources . (see also green growth)
• Redistribution of Resources - Advocates for equitable resource distribution, reducing inequality both within and between nations.
• Localism and cosmolocalism - encouraging collaborative forms of production while sharing resources globally (such as as digital commons ), to reduce dependence on global value chains and the ecological footprint.

Criticism and Challenges

While Degrowth has gained traction as a compelling alternative to growth-driven economic models, it has also faced significant criticism, with opponents questioning its feasibility, equity, and potential socioeconomic impacts. Some of the criticisms discussed by researchers and economists include:

• A disruption to the global economy - one of the grater concerns of degrowth proponents is the ever-expanding use of resources by Global North countries to satisfy lifestyles that consume energy, and produce greater waste, at the expense of the Global South. They call for a "slow down" in the capitalist society of the former to to “de-grow” their economies, and exempt the Global South from this. However, critics argue that any degrowth of high-income countries would also hit and destabilize lower-income countries due to economic interdependencies and reductions in global trade.
• Economic instability - critics argue that while capitalism has resulted in significant wealth inequalities, it has also lifted millions out of poverty. Also, economic growth is seen as essential for low-income countries to improve living standards, making degrowth an impractical and potentially harmful policy agenda.
• Environmental degradation predates capitalism - Degrowth supporters link the current economic system as a facilitator to the ecological destruction through capitalisms pursuit of of profit and growth whilst disregarding the planetary boundaries. However, critics argue that environmental destruction was present in past civilizations, even before the industrial society [4].
• Economic growth brings innovation - An argument against Degrowth is that economic growth, driven by capitalism, has facilitated dematerialization — the process of reducing the quantity of materials and energy required to produce goods and services. his perspective suggests that sustainable development can be achieved within a growth-oriented framework through continuous innovation and efficiency gains, rather than by reducing production and consumption.

See Also

• Agrowth
• Environmental Economics
• Green growth
• Post-growth