I have recently had Twitter and email discussions with a couple of people who are strong proponents of “degrowth”. From these exchanges I got the impression that they were unaware of just how unequal and poor (yes, poor) the world is today and what would be the trade-offs if we really were to decide to fix the volume of goods and services produced and consumed in the world at the current level.
Of course, the biggest elephant in the room, make that the elephant in the Volkswagen, is population growth. It doesn't make for pleasant dinner conversation, but it is true all the same. Fortunately, the two most effective (and ethical) ways to reduce overpopulation are 1) female empowerment, and 2) poverty reduction. No coercion needed. Let the planetary healing begin!
Degrowth, however, would of course vitiate the latter, while the former is currently at risk from regressive political and religious ideologies including in the USA now.
To really move into post-capitalism, we need to humanely euthanize capitalism by giving it the ONE thing it truly cannot survive--ABUNDANCE. Whereas degrowth (simply a warmed-over form of austerity in ecological drag) in contrast would only further entrench capitalism, impoverish the working class, and we would be permanently stuck in a bad place and STILL end up destroying the Earth.
Of course, the biggest elephant in the room, make that the elephant in the Volkswagen, is population growth. It doesn't make for pleasant dinner conversation, but it is true all the same. Fortunately, the two most effective (and ethical) ways to reduce overpopulation are 1) female empowerment, and 2) poverty reduction. No coercion needed. Let the planetary healing begin!
Degrowth, however, would of course vitiate the latter, while the former is currently at risk from regressive political and religious ideologies including in the USA now.
To really move into post-capitalism, we need to humanely euthanize capitalism by giving it the ONE thing it truly cannot survive--ABUNDANCE. Whereas degrowth (simply a warmed-over form of austerity in ecological drag) in contrast would only further entrench capitalism, impoverish the working class, and we would be permanently stuck in a bad place and STILL end up destroying the Earth.