Library

Scientific paper • 2012

Towards a fair degrowth-society: Justice and the right to a ‘good life’ beyond growth

Abstract: A critical scrutiny is presented of the ethical assumptions of growth and degrowth theories with respect to distributive justice and the normative conditions for a ‘good human life’. An argument is made in favor of Sen's and Nussbaum's ‘capabilities approach’ as the most suitable theoretical framework for addressing these questions. Since industrialization economic growth has played a...

Scientific paper • 2012

Growth and democracy: Trade-offs and paradoxes

By: Mauro Bonaiut

Abstract: The present paper attempts to reveal the relationships between some long-run systemic processes (on the economic, ecological, social and symbolic levels) and the theme of democracy. Starting from the distinction between democracy and autonomy, the paper focusses on its main issue: the trade-off between growth and autonomy. Continual growth can be produced, and indeed has been produced...

Scientific paper • 2012

Pillars for a flourishing Earth: planetary boundaries, economic growth delusion and green economy

By: Joan Martinez-Alier, Nicolas Kosoy, Peter G Brown, Klaus Bosselmann, Anantha Duraiappah, Brendan Mackey, Deborah Rogers, Robert Thomson

Abstract: In the hue and cry about the ‘green economy’ leading up to Rio + 20 a number of simple points have been neglected. First, the purposes of the economy have been too narrowly conceived. Second, the role of demand management is vastly underplayed. Third, the assumptions about the nature of reality are inconsistent with contemporary science. Fourth, it is mired in a complex discourse...

Scientific paper • 2012

Growth, A-Growth or Degrowth to Stay within Planetary Boundaries?

By: Giorgos Kallis, Jeroen C.J.M. van den Bergh

a-growth, degrowth, environmental sustainability, gross domestic product (GDP), growth paradigm

Scientific paper • 2012

Can the Left Escape Economism?

By: Serge Latouche

From the text: . . .To exit from the impasse of a growth society involves finding ways of building an alternative world of voluntary sobriety and frugal abundance, a world we believe possible. But to do this also implies abandoning the well-trodden paths of ‘‘critical’’ thought, the inherited ways of thinking that are fundamentally responsible for all the facets of the Left. Inventing new ways...

Scientific paper • 2012

The economics of degrowth

By: Giorgos Kallis, Joan Martinez-Alier, Christian Kerschner

Degrowth; Money; Debt; Happiness; Employment; Property; Ecological macroeconomics

Scientific paper • 2012

Two challenges for creating democratically accountable local currencies to cope with unvoluntary degrowth: Lessons from Argentina

By: Kristofer Dittmer

Abstract: Local currencies issued by civil society are often advocated by the degrowth movement as innovations that facilitate voluntary degrowth, but also as tools for coping with chaotic instances of unvoluntary degrowth, such as the present crisis in southern Europe. This paper provides a concise history of Argentina’s barter networks, which attracted millions of participants during the...

Scientific paper • 2012

Introduction: Degrowth futures and democracy

By: Giorgos Kallis, Christos Zografos, Claudio Cattaneo, Giacomo D’Alisa

Introduction the the Special Issue "Politics, Democracy and Degrowth" published in the Jornal "Futures". Futures, Volume 44, Issue 6, August 2012, Pages 515–523, Special Issue: Politics, Democracy and Degrowth

Scientific paper • 2012

Degrowth: Tools for a Complex Analysis of the Multidimensional Crisis

By: Mauro Bonaiuti

From the paper: This article intends first of all to offer a contribution to the analysis of the current multidimensional crisis and to help construct this shared view; at the same time, it reveals why orthodox economic prescriptions, of both neoclassical and Keynsian inspiration, cannot lead to a lasting solution to the crisis. Special Issue: Degrowth Symposium Capitalism Nature Socialism,...

Scientific paper • 2012

Degrowth? How About Some “De-alienation”?

By: Leigh Brownhill, Terisa E. Turner, Wahu Kaara

From the paper: Our objective is to more seriously consider another route to overcoming the disasters of capitalism. For the sake of paralleling the tone and spirit of the term ‘degrowth,’ we call it ‘de-alienation.’ The term calls attention to the problem of ‘alienation’ from enclosure of land, productive processes, and products to the alienation of people from each other and from themselves...

Scientific paper • 2012

Degrowth, American Style: No Impact Man and Bourgeois Primitivism

By: David Correia

From the paper: "While Degrowth has found limited purchase outside existing anti-capitalist, anti-consumerist or scholarly circles, Beavan has become a media darling. His blog found the attention of a variety of media outlets and, after numerous articles and television and radio appearances, has become hugely popular. The effort of ‘one guilty liberal,’ it seems, tapped into a growing...

Scientific paper • 2012

Introduction to the Degrowth Symposium

By: Sead

Introduction to the Special Issue: "Degrowth Symposium Capitalism Nature Socialism", Volume 23, Issue 1

Scientific paper • 2012

On the Prospect of Preventing Global Climate Catastrophe due to Rapid Social Change

By: Olli Tammilehto

From the paper: Though the chances of dethroning growth by a huge increase of social movement activities in the near future seem very slim, there are reasons why we still have hope. Social change movements exist, and there are historical experiences indicating that in dire situations these movements can change and grow rapidly. Witness, as of this writing in November 2011, the Occupy Wall...

Scientific paper • 2012

Aliénation et accélération : Vers une théorie critique de la modernité tardive

By: Hartmut Rosa

The publisher: La vie moderne est une constante accélération. Jamais auparavant les moyens permettant de gagner du temps n’avaient atteint pareil niveau de développement, grâce aux technologies de production et de communication ; pourtant, jamais l’impression de manquer de temps n’a été si répandue. Dans toutes les sociétés occidentales, les individus souffrent toujours plus du manque de temps...

Report • 2012

The Path to Degrowth in Overdeveloped Countries

By: Erik Assadourian

Introductory text to degrowth, starting of with reporting from the 2nd international Degrowth Conference which took place in 2010. It includes basic growth critique as well as degrowth proposals. Topics are “The Curse of Overdevelopment”, “Reducing Overall Consumption by Overconsumers”, “Distributing Tax Burdens More Equitably”, “Sharing Work Hours Better”, “Cultivating a Plenitude Economy”,...

Misc • 2012

Sacred Economics with Charles Eisenstein - A Short Film

By: Ian MacKenzie, Charles Eisenstein

Licensed Creative Commons, Attribution, Non-Commercial. Note: Subtitles are also available in other languages. Short Video in which the author Charles Eisenstein explains his concept of 'Sacred Economics'. Topics in the video are: Money, what it is, what it does and where it comes from, alienation and community, gift economy, some growth critique and more. About the Book "Sacred Economics",...

Scientific paper • 2012

Wachstumszwang in der Geldwirtschaft? Theoretische Erwägungen

By: Christoph Freydorf, Oliver Richters, Ferdin, Wenzlaff, Christian Kimmich, Thomas Koudela, Ludwig Schuster

Abstract: Der Zusammenhang von Wachstums- und Zinsrate wird in den Wirtschaftswissenschaften ausführlich behandelt. Dabei besteht Konsens, dass sinkende Wachstumsraten aus sozio-ökonomischen Gründen unerwünscht sind. Gleichzeitig deuten jedoch immer mehr Forschungsergebnisse darauf hin, dass Wachstum nicht zuletzt aus ökologischen Gründen an Grenzen stößt und mit ...

Scientific paper • 2012

Evaluating land consumption and soil functions to inform spatial planning

By: Elisabetta Peccol, Elisabetta Peccol, Alessia Movia, Alessia Movia

Abstract: The European Union, in the European Soil Thematic Strategy (EC. 2006a), recognises the need to improve the integration of measures to prevent soil consumption and degradation, in spatial planning and in those sector policies such as transport, tourism, commerce etc. that have a major influence on land use change. Indeed, there is a growing awareness at many territorial levels (Europe,...

Report • 2012

Where Does Money Come From?

By: Tony Greenham, Josh Ryan-Collins, Richard Werner, Andrew Jackson

Key findings, according to the NEF: > There is widespread misunderstanding of how new money is created: even among bankers, economists, and policymakers > Physical cash accounts for less than 3 per cent of the total stock of money in the economy > The absence of this understanding makes attempts at banking reform more likely to fail Below you find the introduction of the publication.

Misc • 2012

Family Agroindustry and Degrowth

By: João Luis

The publisher: In this book you will find an experience that many - at the time that it was implemented - called a completely utopian proposal. However, it was fully achieved and proved that it is possible to carry out an agro-food production by undertaking the reallocation of both production and consumption, combined with a social inclusion program based on degrowth principles regarding the...